Thursday, April 19, 2012

Talking Tribeca: All In

I’ve had the pleasure this year of screening some selections from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place April 18th-29th.

All In
Directed by Daniel Burman
Festival Screenings

Not to be confused with the recently-released documentary “All In: The Poker Movie,” this Argentinean film features poker addict and successful businessman Uriel (Jorge Drexler) as he navigates running into his old girlfriend, the one that got away, Gloria (Valeria Bertuccelli). The film follows both members of the couple almost equally, showcasing Uriel’s debate about getting a vasectomy and his life with his children, and Gloria’s failing relationship with another man and the perception that her friends and family have of her. Most astonishing about the film is that this is Drexler’s first acting job – the songwriter won an Oscar for the song from “The Motorcycle Diaries – and he handles being on screen with absolute grace. He’s completely charming and energetic, and if not for Bertuccelli’s equally spectacular performance, Drexler would carry the film. Two fantastic leads are gifted with a terrific script from Daniel Burman and Sergio Dubcovsky, which features witty dialogue and an interesting story, which includes musician rabbis and mysterious poker champions. It’s hard to accurately convey a picture of “All In,” but whatever it is, it’s great.

See it or skip it? Yes, as long as subtitles don’t scare you away. It’s definitely worth seeing, and it’s hard not to enjoy.

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