Peruvian director Javier Fuentes-León tackles well-worn subjects (a love triangle, a ghost story, the confrontation of one's sexual orientation) with deft originality in Undertow. Miguel (Cristian Mercado), a fisherman in a small village, and his wife Mariela (Tatiana Astengo) are expecting their first child. But unknown to Mariela, Miguel is having an affair with Santiago (Manolo Cardona), an outcast artist living on the fringes of town. The men carry on their relationship discreetly, but while Miguel is satisfied by the arrangement, Santiago is never truly at ease. After Santiago drowns in an accident, his ghost returns to Miguel—but not to haunt. Instead, the two are able to be together without sneaking off somewhere (no one else but Miguel can see the apparition). Only this new set-up creates a fresh set of problems. Undertow takes an intelligent approach to a thorny subject—Miguel's love for his wife, Santiago, and his new child, coupled with his inability to be honest about himself—and Mercado's performance resonates with genuine emotional anguish and confusion. Although this Peruvian entry for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film wasn't nominated, it is one of the most invigorating Latin American imports of the past few years. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)[Blu-ray Review—Mar. 22, 2016—Olive, 108 min., R, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2004's Undertow sports a solid transfer but no extras. Bottom line: Gordon's character-driven film looks nice on Blu-ray.]
Undertow
Wolfe, 100 min., in Spanish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99, Blu-ray: $29.99 Volume 26, Issue 4
Undertow
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