Undertow (2009)

88% of critics liked it
(32 reviews)
88% of users liked it
(1,247 ratings)

A man struggles to come to terms with the unexpected consequences of a secret love in this drama from director Javier Fuentes-Len. Miguel (Cristian Mercado) supports himself and his family as a fisherman in a small town on the coast of Peru. Miguel is happily married to Mariela (Tatiana Astengo),… More A man struggles to come to terms with the unexpected consequences of a secret love in this drama from director Javier Fuentes-Len. Miguel (Cristian Mercado) supports himself and his family as a fisherman in a small town on the coast of Peru. Miguel is happily married to Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), who is pregnant with their first child, and the couple are well respected in their community and active in the local church. But there's a side of Miguel that he keeps hidden from most people -- Miguel is also in love with Santiago (Manolo Cardona), an artist who is spending time in the village, and the two have secretly been having an affair. Santiago drowns one evening while swimming, and his ghost visits Miguel, telling him that his spirit will not know peace until Miguel finds the courage to tell the community about their love. While some suspect Miguel is hiding something when nude paintings of him are found in Santiago's home, Miguel isn't sure where to find the courage to confess his bisexuality to his wife and neighbors. Undertow (aka Contracorriente) was an official selection in World Cinema program the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Audience Award for Best World Dramatic Feature. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Javier Fuentes-León, Javier Fuentes-len
Written By: Javier Fuentes-León, Javier Fuentes-león
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Nov 26, 2010 Wide
On DVD: Jun 1, 2011
Studio: The Film Collaborative

Critic Reviews

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Meh.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
This drama is a first feature by Javier Fuentes-Léon that manages to outgrow the limits of its story.
Bob Mondello, NPR
Undertow, for all its narrative tricks, has been given the rhythm and texture of real life, as well as emotional undercurrents that are haunting.
Ernest Hardy, Village Voice
Set in a small, picturesque Peruvian fishing village, it's less a coming-out tale than a magic realism-infused coming-of-consciousness love story.
David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle
This small film's accomplishments are many, but not the least is its ability to take a human story and frame it as a parable, without losing a bit of credibility or irresistible heart.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
The first part of the film is... slow-paced and antsy-making, with none of the sensitive and tragic character study of the second part.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
[Director]Fuentes-Leon...does a solid job balancing characters and story and creates a sympathetic surreal tale.
Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Stunningly photographed by Mauricio Vidal, "Undertow" is about a ghost caught between his lover's private shame and a town's public traditions.
John Hartl, Seattle Times
Reminiscent of such heavenly Hollywood fantasies as "Here Comes Mr. Jordan," Peru's "Undertow" suggests a more passionate, lyrical tale of a soul in search of a body.
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
Right from the start of Undertow, writer-director Javier Fuentes-Leon refuses to reduce any of his characters to clichés, which gives the film its fresh, captivating power.
Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International
This poetic gem about loss and the consequences of a passionate but hidden gay relationship in a tiny ocean-side village of modest fishermen deservedly won Sundance's World Cinema Audience Award and represents Peru's bid for an Oscar nom.
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
A captivating, breathtaking and intricately layered amalgamation of heartfelt drama, romance and magical realism. It's one of the most powerful love stories since Brokeback Mountain.
Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine
More heart-tugging mélo than spooky thriller.
Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve
Peru's selection for Best Foreign Film of 2010 is a slow-moving story of a man who had good reasons to fear 'coming out'
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
An unconventional, sun-drenched ghost/love story...
Fr. Chris Carpenter, Movie Dearest
Beautifully rendered. Not to be missed.
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
It's nothing if not easy on the eye, and the acting's engaging and sympathetic.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
Fuentes-Leon takes no sides. Instead he carefully explains the dilemma facing the three principal characters without any false dramatics.
Alistair Harkness, Scotsman
Sadly, the film offers few insights and follows a predictable trajectory...

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Robert C

At face value, this is a good film. Great cast, believable dialog, location that is intriguing but not distracting. It's not until you start to dig a little deeper and really think about all of the symbolism and emotions (both spoken and unspoken), that you start to realize… More
At face value, this is a good film. Great cast, believable dialog, location that is intriguing but not distracting. It's not until you start to dig a little deeper and really think about all of the symbolism and emotions (both spoken and unspoken), that you start to realize what a beautiful and heartbreaking love story it is.
jay n

Beautiully wrought story of a man coming to grips with his true self. Exquisite performances with Cristian Mercado absolutely riveting in the lead. This isn't a film that provides easy answers or comforting assurances, life in this village is a tough ingrained macho stronghold… More
Beautiully wrought story of a man coming to grips with his true self. Exquisite performances with Cristian Mercado absolutely riveting in the lead. This isn't a film that provides easy answers or comforting assurances, life in this village is a tough ingrained macho stronghold even though a small glimmer of progession is allowed to shine though near the end. Mercado shows the intense struggle the main character must navigate to not only make peace with a crushing tragedy but learn how to align his moral code with something that could cost him everything he hasn't already lost. Deeply affecting and well worh seeking out.
Walter M

In the beginning, there is the belly, of very, very pregnant Mariela(Tatiana Astengo) who is enjoying some down time with her husband Miguel(Christian Mercado). That is interrupted by his cousin Tano(Juan Pablo Olivos) who wants him to preside over his brother's burial at sea,… More
In the beginning, there is the belly, of very, very pregnant Mariela(Tatiana Astengo) who is enjoying some down time with her husband Miguel(Christian Mercado). That is interrupted by his cousin Tano(Juan Pablo Olivos) who wants him to preside over his brother's burial at sea, per local custom. Otherwise, life goes on in his fishing village where Santiago(Manolo Cardona), a handsome artist, has taken up residence and is having a torrid secret affair with Miguel. Santiago also takes the time to buy Mariela a candle at the market. So, when Santiago shows up unannounced in his house one morning, Miguel is angry but it is nowhere near close to what he is thinking... "Undertow" has some beautiful footage, a neat premise and respect for local traditions. But the movie suffers from a near fatal case of indecision that leads to a slow pace that cannot be explained away by the leisurely rhythm of life in this village. The movie would want us to believe the indecision is due to Miguel not being able to make up his mind who to be with, but I have no problem with bisexuality. Admittedly, if he had acted decisively at one point about something else, it would have saved him a lot of trouble down the line. Rather, it is the story that has little direction after the plot kicks in, with the movie eventually just coming to a halt.
Jeff T

This unexpectedly lovely film from Peru is a sweet surprise. A gentle kind-of coming out story set in a Peruvian fishing village, it is also as tender as it is straight-forward, even when delving into a bit of magical realism territory. It's the story of a married fisherman in… More
This unexpectedly lovely film from Peru is a sweet surprise. A gentle kind-of coming out story set in a Peruvian fishing village, it is also as tender as it is straight-forward, even when delving into a bit of magical realism territory. It's the story of a married fisherman in what seems like a perfectly happy marriage who is also deeply involved with a painter on the side. To give too much away would be robbing this simple story of some of its surprise, but suffice to say it's about a guy who has no intention of coming out and finds out life has other things in mind for him. Though some of the storytelling is a little on the blunt side, there is so much gentleness to the delivery of the story that it doesn't matter in the least. Beautifully acted by its three leads, it's a sweet surprise and should've gotten noticed by more people. Check it out!
Glenn G

This is a film to seek out and love. Peru's official Foreign Language Film entry for Academy Award consideration, UNDERTOW is a lyrical, gently, deeply moving tale of an unusual love triangle set in a remote Peruvian fishing village. All begins very sweetly as a man and his… More
This is a film to seek out and love. Peru's official Foreign Language Film entry for Academy Award consideration, UNDERTOW is a lyrical, gently, deeply moving tale of an unusual love triangle set in a remote Peruvian fishing village. All begins very sweetly as a man and his wife await the birth of their first child, but the fact that he has a secret male lover complicates matters. The turning point, which employs a bit of magical realism, is better left unsaid here, as I feel it's better for you to discover this wonderful film as it unfolds. Needless to say, the triangle proves to me a major dramatic element in the story, but it's the deliberate pacing, the wonderful performances of its three gorgeous leads, the stunning seaside imagery, and the respect writer/director Javier Fuentes-Leon has for his characters and the audiences, that puts this film a cut above. This is no "Oh Girl" gay film. It's vivid, fresh, and truly heartfelt. It's little wonder it won a major award at this year's Sundance Film Festival as well as countless others. If you don't live in NY or LA, call your local cinema and ask for it. If you live in the major cities, what are you sitting here for? Get out there and support independent cinema before 3D craptastic comic books become the norm, not the exception. Oops, too late.