PROBLEMISTA
(director/writer: Julio Torres; cinematographer: Fredrik Wenzel; editors: Sara Shaw, Jacob Secher Schulsinger; music: Robert Ouyang Rusli; cast: Julio Torres (Alejandro), Tilda Swinton (Elizabeth), RZA (Bobby), Isabella Rosselini (Narrator), Larry Owens (Craigslist), Catalina Saavedra (Dolores), Kelly McCormack (Sharon), Theo Maltz (Travis), Laith Nakli (Khalil), James Scully (Bingham), Greta Titelman (Celeste), Miles G. Jackson (Brian, Hasbro exec), Greta Lee (Dalia), Spike Einbinder (Spray); Runtime: 98; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Ali Herting; A24; 2023-in English & some Spanish)
“Silly comedy about the immigrant experience in NYC.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Julio Torres is an actor, comedian, writer and first time director from El Salvador, who produces and stars in this playful, absurd, and silly comedy about the immigrant experience in NYC. It’s a smart and creative film, that has Tilda Swinton give an incredible over the top performance.
The young Alejandro (Julio Torres) leaves El Salvador and his supportive mother Dolores (Catalina Saavedra) to try and become in NYC a top-line toy designer for Hasbro. To realize his dreams, he struggles in the city to survive and to get a sponsor to keep his work visa. His struggle highlights a flawed and unfair U.S. immigration system.
After making a minor mistake at the cryogenic lab where he works, Alejandro’s rigid boss fires him. While fired he meets the eccentric wealthy art critic Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), whose struggling and misunderstood artist husband Bobby (RZA) has been frozen. She’s a misanthropic, unpleasant, argumentative and difficult person to get along with, who always seems to have outbursts in public that scold people for treating her badly and often rails against technology. But she allows Alejandro to tag along as her assistant and thereby gives him a chance to buy time to find a sponsor before his month stay is up. He desperately wants to hear from his job application to work at Hasbro, but agonizes over receiving no invite to interview for the job.
The odd duo get busy running errands for Elizabeth to be curator for a gallery show of Bobby’s inexplicable 13 egg paintings, hoping this will give him recognition in the art world. How the mild-mannered Alejandro can get along with such a miserable and contentious lady monster, adds to his nightmarish quest to land the Hasbro job. In the end, he realizes the power of the self, which he learns through observing how Elizabeth’s craziness works for her.
It’s a weird film, with every character being weird. It’s not a film for everyone, but could be for the viewer who could laugh at its offbeat humor and not be offended by the faults of its unsympathetic leads.
Isabella Rossellini provides an all-wise narration.
It played at Newfest Pride.
REVIEWED ON 7/29/2024 GRADE: B+
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Julio Torres is an actor, comedian, writer and first time director from El Salvador, who produces and stars in this playful, absurd, and silly comedy about the immigrant experience in NYC. It’s a smart and creative film, that has Tilda Swinton give an incredible over the top performance.
The young Alejandro (Julio Torres) leaves El Salvador and his supportive mother Dolores (Catalina Saavedra) to try and become in NYC a top-line toy designer for Hasbro. To realize his dreams, he struggles in the city to survive and to get a sponsor to keep his work visa. His struggle highlights a flawed and unfair U.S. immigration system.
After making a minor mistake at the cryogenic lab where he works, Alejandro’s rigid boss fires him. While fired he meets the eccentric wealthy art critic Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), whose struggling and misunderstood artist husband Bobby (RZA) has been frozen. She’s a misanthropic, unpleasant, argumentative and difficult person to get along with, who always seems to have outbursts in public that scold people for treating her badly and often rails against technology. But she allows Alejandro to tag along as her assistant and thereby gives him a chance to buy time to find a sponsor before his month stay is up. He desperately wants to hear from his job application to work at Hasbro, but agonizes over receiving no invite to interview for the job.
The odd duo get busy running errands for Elizabeth to be curator for a gallery show of Bobby’s inexplicable 13 egg paintings, hoping this will give him recognition in the art world. How the mild-mannered Alejandro can get along with such a miserable and contentious lady monster, adds to his nightmarish quest to land the Hasbro job. In the end, he realizes the power of the self, which he learns through observing how Elizabeth’s craziness works for her.
It’s a weird film, with every character being weird. It’s not a film for everyone, but could be for the viewer who could laugh at its offbeat humor and not be offended by the faults of its unsympathetic leads.
Isabella Rossellini provides an all-wise narration.
It played at Newfest Pride.
REVIEWED ON 7/29/2024 GRADE: B+
dennisschwartzreviews.com