The Summit [La Cordillera] *** (2017, Ricardo Darín, Dolores Fonzi, Erica Rivas, Christian Slater, Paulina García) – Movie Review 

Ricardo Darín is excellent as President Hernán Blanco of Argentina, who is facing various crises in his private and public life while in the middle of the Summit of Latin American presidents in La Cordillera. Darín exudes quiet power and menace. He would make a great Dracula.

Argentine film-maker Santiago Mitre’s political thriller has the authentic ring of truth about it. It never feels like only a movie, just a screen contrivance. It is filmed with an exciting ‘you are there’ immediacy. The audience feels it is eavesdropping on real conversations and machinations by real powerful folks.

Maybe it is hard to follow fully. It is perhaps an effort. It could be work. Its tagline of El mal existe [Evil exists] may make further questions over understanding it. But, nevertheless, it is still quite riveting. Blanco’s grown-up daughter calls him a murderer. It is established she is crazy, but is she? Has he done all the stuff he is accused of, while seeming smooth and fair? If we follow the clarity of the tagline, rather than the movie, maybe so. It’s nice to be stretched, have the brain cells exercised, but not so nice to feel baffled.

Christian Slater has a one-scene cameo as the sinister and meddling US envoy Derek McKinley, who offers Blanco a deal, well a bribe really. The neglected Slater is very good. Paulina García from Gloria has a cameo as President Paula Scherson. It is frustrating that she is totally wasted.

Mitre writes the all-important screenplay with Mariano Llinás. It is an excellent, provocative, intelligent, always interesting one.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Movie Review 

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