@lamoviola
In the midst of the failure that is emerging as mythical The Marvels(Nia DaCosta, 2023), just at the time of writing these lines, Friday at noon, the collection was at 111 million dollars when its cost was over 200 million, hope for moviegoers is not in the blockbuster, but in options with greater cinematographic consistency. This is where the premiere of a national proposal comes in, although it is more of a co-production, Human Resources (Jesús Magaña, Mexico-Argentina, 2023).
Filmed in Córdova, Argentina and based on the novel of the same name, written by Antonio Ortuño (Zapopan, Mexico, 1976), currently considered a representative author of young Mexican literature (he is in his forties), the film, which could be seen In the last edition of FICM, it stands out for its very good staging, in which Alejandro Cantú’s black and white photography is a fundamental piece of the infernal microcosms that drown the characters; an office with its isolated cubicles, secretarial and semi-luxury bars, a cheap brothel and restaurants for Godinez without them becoming fonds. The characters go through their daily misery and mutter their revenge and resentment while they spend their fortnight on consumption or charge their credit card.
The film, a black comedy with its tendency towards office thriller, is also armed with the archetype of its characters: all from a ghost area, in charge of impressions: the Godin friend of the protagonist, a junior boss sunk in cocaine, flirtatious companions who gladly enter into gossip and the protagonist of the melodrama Gabriel (Pedro De Tavira, the neta on this occasion is very good), a resentful socialite of medium-high origins but fallen from grace, who turns out to be a playful antihero if you go to the movies after your work day.
Human Resourcessomehow reminiscent of Comfortable monthly payments (Julián Pastor, 1991), but with the impulses of moral, ethical and recreational disappointment that permeate us. The characters are sick with rage. Desktop petty people, capable of anything to get out of the cancer of their mediocrity.
Gabriel, skinny, tired, haggard and without illusions, his goal in his gray life, while he maintains ephemeral sexual relations with his colleagues and steals from their purse, is to become the print manager of the company for which he works. At one point his family had money, but today the guy is almost at the end of the month, although he has no shortage of money to spend in bars and restaurants.
His illusions are shattered when for the position he aspires to, a junior but “good-natured” arrives, at first, the son of the company’s lawyer, Constantine (Giussepe Gamba), who shares unhappiness with all the little demons in the office.
Gabriel He has his best friend, Paruro (Daniel Tovar), who acts as a confidant, but like any self-respecting best friend, is capable of surprise twists and pettiness. The film relies heavily on identifiable archetypes where the cast does their job outstandingly: well, too, Cecilia Ponce and Juana Viale.
In the midst of office hassles and constant betrayals, the characters’ lives literally disappear.
They are in hell, but that does not satisfy them. Gabriel needs the adrenaline of revenge, to be able to give meaning and vindication to his mediocre existence.
Human Resources It is a nightmarish comedy of suffocating environments that manages to generate empathy for its protagonist despite being pitifully pathetic.
Much better than any movie with actors in tights.