Hey folks, Harry here... This sounds like a very cool flick!!! It seems that Cannes is having a pretty damn good line-up this year, and from the word on the street, it sounds like this has been picked up for distribution here in the U.S...
Hi ho, Head Geek,
SPYder, again. They say that web shall provide, and it has again for me with a screening of “Nine Queens,” at the Palais this afternoon. I don’t remember seeing a review on AICN for this one yet, so I’ll pass this along in case you don’t already have one.
“Nine Queens” is the story of two Argentine con-men with different views on how to play the game who have to work together to pull off the biggest score of their careers. It’s a Spanish language film, with English subtitles. Don’t let that throw you off, though, because “Nine Queens” is a very well written and polished picture with plot twists until the very end.
The story begins with Juan (Gaston Pauls) trying out the same con twice on two different cashiers, when Marcos (Ricardo Darin) steps in to “arrest” him. Turns out Marcos is a fellow con with more experience who stepped in to assist, and the two make off with the money. The two then set off in a series of small-scale cons and scams in attempt to size each other up. Marcos cons be cause he can and because he loves to. Juan cons because it’s the only thing he’s ever been good at, having been taught the craft as a child by his father. Juan tells Marcos that he is in a dire situation and that he needs to come up with $70,000 to help his father; the money is to bribe a judge to secure his father’s release from prison. He only has $50,000 now, and wants to partner with Marcos to make up the rest before his father spends the rest of his life in prison. Marcos is reluctant, because he doesn’t think Juan is truly in love with the game itself, but realizes that Juan’s “nice guy” demeanor may come in handy when running scams.
While they debate the partnership, the story moves on. Marcos gets a call from his sister Valeria (played by Leticia Bredice – quite a dish), who works at a very upper-class hotel frequented by rich businessmen. Turns out the call was because his former partner, Sandler, showed up in the hotel demanding to see a guest. When the guest wasn’t available, Sandler started to lose it and had a bit of a breakdown. Sandler lets Marcos in on his game, one that involves a forged sheet of extremely rare stamps from the Weimar Republic, known as the “Nine Queens.” Unable to manage the sale himself, Sandler recruits Marcos to help him.
The story moves on from there, with various twists, turns, and reversals of fortune befalling the two con-men; complicated by Marcos’ family problems (namely that he probably swindled his sister and younger brother out of their grandparent’s estate).
As I mentioned, the story is pretty tight. It’s very well written with smart characters all around. I can’t express how frustrated I get with movies that demand their characters act in a stupid fashion just to advance the plot; “Nine Queens” has none of that. Everyone is smart. Some smarter than you might think.
The cast is great. Gaston and Ricardo make a very good team, and Leticia is sharp, clever, and beautiful. They’ve all very believable and a lot of fun to watch. Ricardo Darin struck me as the Argentine answer to Allan Rickman, and not just the goatee. His delivery, voice, and character invoke this comparison almost immediately, with the similarities enhancing his performance.
I’ve heard that Lions Gate has picked up “Nine Queens” for at least the U.S., which I am going to assume means an art-house release. I hope so, at least, because “Nine Queens” is one I would have paid to see. If you can’t catch it in theaters, at least check it out on video. It’s a good time.
SPYder, out.
