Vengo (2000)

62% of critics liked it
(37 reviews)
84% of users liked it
(2,269 ratings)

The rich and passionate sounds of Spanish flamenco music provide the backdrop for this emotional drama of two families at war. Caco (Antonio Canales) is a man whose family has long been at odds with the Caravacas, a prominent family living in the same village. Mario, Caco's brother, murdered one of… More The rich and passionate sounds of Spanish flamenco music provide the backdrop for this emotional drama of two families at war. Caco (Antonio Canales) is a man whose family has long been at odds with the Caravacas, a prominent family living in the same village. Mario, Caco's brother, murdered one of the Caravacas, and now the family is out for blood, with Mario's son Diego (Orestes Villasan Rodriguez) the expected target. Caco has lost a daughter of his own, whom Diego loved, and Caco is determined to spare his nephew the same fate. But guarding the young man is no easy task in the hilly country of southern Spain. Vengo also features performances by a number of noted flamenco performers, including La Paquera de Jerez. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Tony Gatlif
Written By: Tony Gatliff, David Trueba, Tony Gatlif
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Art House & International

In Theaters: Sep 7, 2001 Limited
On DVD: Jul 29, 2003
Studio: Cowboy Booking International

Critic Reviews

Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle
The combination of drama and music gives the film a stop-and-go quality, like a mixture of documentary and fiction.
Margaret Putnam, Dallas Morning News
Captures the imagination even without a plot.
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune
Filled with dazzling moments, Vengo never quite reaches the heights those moments promise.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Feels like a song you may have heard before, but one whose aching beauty makes it endlessly listenable.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
Truly arouses.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Flamenco rhythms are not exactly my cup of tea, but I must say that by the time Vengo's primal story unfolded in its entirety, I was fully in its thrall.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
challenging and engaging
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
Seeing the performances in the film will certainly make you crave the soundtrack.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
Spare and beautiful visually, lush and bracing aurally...
Kim Morgan, Oregonian
An often soul-stirring experience showcasing some of the best flamenco artists in the world.
Arthur Lazere, culturevulture.net
As good as the music is, the overall film only suggests what a flamenco drama might be, leaving the viewer hungry for a more fulfilling realization of the concept.
Jodi Paper, San Francisco Examiner
It is flamenco that shapes and forms this film, leading it several intricate steps beyond ordinary.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
While the film isn't perfect, it nonetheless captures the dangerously emotional world of both flamenco music and the Spanish Gypsies who use it to stave off the inevitable vagaries of Romany life.
Maria Garcia, Film Journal International
Spectacular film.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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