SXSW: Julio Torres’s directorial debut is wildly ingenious, biting, and outright humorous.
Julio Torres brings his distinctive humorousness, wildly ingenious visible fashion, and skill to craft a biting satire collectively in his directorial debut, “Problemista.” The outcome appears like A24’s reply to Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Hassle You,” a movie with a peculiar and poignant perspective in regards to the woes of residing within the present American society and navigating an indecipherable system. It additionally presents a dream-like world the place individuals actually disappear when their visas expire, the place arguments evolve into imaginary talks with neighborhood theater-like costumes, and the place FileMaker Professional is the one biggest evil ever devised by humankind.
Torres has made a profession out of crafting idiosyncratic, otherworldly comedy that however captures cultural moments, like his “Papyrus” or “Wells for Boys” sketches on SNL, or how “Los Espookys,” which blended magical realism, a few of the most weird imagery on TV, and beautifully sharp commentary.
Right here, he leaves behind the horror, however nonetheless masterfully blends his sensibilities with the format of an indie comedy a few younger El Salvadoran man, Alejandro (performed by Torres himself) attempting desperately to make it in NYC, and the bond he kinds with a loud, quirky former artwork critic (Tilda Swinton) attempting to get a gallery to exhibit the egg work her cryogenically frozen husband as soon as painted.
From the very starting, it turns into clear “Problemista” isn’t involved with so-called logic or with the boundaries of our world, as we’re launched to a younger Alejandro residing in El Salvador together with his artist mom, who creates elaborate (and likewise bodily not possible) sculptures. When requested for concepts so as to add to the sculpture, younger Alejandro merely asks for a mirror, “So I can see what I’ve turn into.”
Years later, Alejandro strikes to New York with massive desires about being a toy designer and dealing with Hasbro in creating such concepts as giving smartphones to Cabbage Patch Youngsters so we all know what they’re as much as, or a Barbie with fingers crossed behind her again that tells you she’s hiding one thing. The issue is that he’s fired from his job at a cryogenic freezing firm, which implies he’s on a race to search out one other job that may sponsor his visa, or he’ll be kicked in another country.
Torres delivers presumably one of the best film in regards to the Latino expertise within the U.S. out of SXSW. The otherworldly magical realism helps heighten the absurdity of the immigration system with out it weighing on the humor of the story. Torres locations equal frustration on the smallest inconveniences as he does on massive systematic points. As an illustration, once we first see a grown-up Alejandro, he’s attempting to grasp why his emails from Hasbro at all times come from an impersonal “noreply” electronic mail deal with. Then there’s the literal sand clock that exhibits Alejandro’s remaining time to get a brand new job and a visa sponsor, and the way individuals fairly actually disappear earlier than our very eyes when their clock runs out and the system abandons them — an outstanding visible cue.
A giant a part of that humor comes when Alejandro meets the spouse of the cryogenically frozen man he needed to take care of. Performed by Swinton, Elizabeth is a loud, eccentric former artwork critic, one which isn’t afraid to yell at each human she meets for actually something, a lady incapable of understanding buyer help steerage, or you can’t place a CD in your iPad. The 2 actors have unimaginable chemistry, with Torres discovering an on-screen associate that may match his quirky rapid-fire humor. Certainly, Swinton’s loud, in-your-face manic efficiency is the proper counterpart to Torres’ signature deadpan deliveries.
“Problemista” is not only humorous, nevertheless, additionally it is quite earnest and compassionate in the direction of its characters. The movie attracts parallels in the way in which each Alejandro and Elizabeth are outsiders attempting to decipher a world that doesn’t care about individuals. Swinton might at occasions seem like only a Karen bullying her approach by means of the world, however her efficiency and the script make it clear she isn’t a part of the system, utilizing it and abusing it to her profit, however an outsider that has needed to struggle tooth and nail to get even a modicum of consideration.
“Problemista” exhibits Julio Torres’ visible fashion and humorousness work as properly on the large display as they do on TV. His characteristic directorial debut is a assured, imaginative calling card, a movie that has as a lot to say in regards to the immigrant expertise because it does about being an artist attempting to stay distinctive and private, because it merely delivers an endearing and hilarious comedy.
Grade: B+
“Problemista” world premiered at SXSW 2023. It will likely be launched by A24.
