Machuca (2004)
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89% of critics liked it
(37 reviews) -
89% of users liked it
(6,408 ratings)
Political unrest helps spawn and destroy a friendship between two schoolboys in this drama. In Chile in 1973, as the leadership of socialist president Salvador Allende was coming under fire from the nation's military leaders and the leaders of several powerful Western nations (including the… More Political unrest helps spawn and destroy a friendship between two schoolboys in this drama. In Chile in 1973, as the leadership of socialist president Salvador Allende was coming under fire from the nation's military leaders and the leaders of several powerful Western nations (including the United States), many in the country were inspired to address the issues of the vast gulf between Chile's rich and poor. Father McEnroe (Ernesto Malbran), one of the headmasters of an exclusive private school, decides to confront this matter by giving a handful of poor children a full scholarship. Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna) is one of the new students, and while he and his fellows are picked on by the school's bullies, Pedro is a brave kid who stands his ground, and he's soon befriended by Gonzalo Infante (Matías Quer), whose rich parents live in Santiago's wealthy suburbs. Gonzalo's family is standing on shaky ground these days; his mother (Aline Küppenheim) is having an affair, and his father (Francisco Reyes) finds himself at odds with her increasingly right-wing political views. Gonzalo begins spending more time with Pedro and his family; he particularly likes Uncle Willi (Alejandro Trejo), who cheerfully sells flags to Chileans on both sides of the political fence, and develops a crush on Silvana (Manuela Martelli), Pedro's older cousin. But the political and economic differences that are dividing the country find their way into the school, leading to a rift between the two friends. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Andres Wood
- Written By
- Andres Wood
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Feb 24, 2004 Wide
- Studio
- Menemsha Films
Critic Reviews
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Marta Barber, Miami Herald
Though the film would benefit from further cuts, Machuca still manages to convey the frailty of convictions and the difficulties of growing up -- be it a child or a nation.
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Ted Fry, Seattle Times
Thanks to a pristine eye for period detail and strong acting skills by the entire cast, there's no need for the script to press any points.
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Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
A fine, exciting film that makes a bloody historical event live all over again by showing it through the eyes of children on the edges of the conflict.
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Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
That rare film that merges the personal and political without sacrificing restraint or intellectual honesty.
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Ty Burr, Boston Globe
[The film has] an unerring eye for time and place that's counterbalanced by an overly passive, if sympathetic, central character.
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Cast
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Matías Quer
as Gonzalo Infante
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Ariel Mateluna
as Pedro Machuca
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Manuela Martelli
as Silvana
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Aline Küppenheim
as Maria Luisa
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Federico Luppi
as Roberto Ochagavia
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Ernesto Malbran
as Father McEnroe
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Tamara Acosta
as Juana
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Francisco Reyes
as Patricio Infante
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Alejandro Trejo
as Willi
