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Machuca

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Andrés Wood is a highly regarded Chilean filmmaker, a man unafraid to take on controversial issues and present them in a manner that is revelatory to his audience, whether that audience is in Chile or other South American countries - or in Europe or North America. In MACHUCA he transports us to the year 1973 in Chile when Pinochet's military coup overthrew Allende's socialist 'democracy'. Knowing that there remains a divided opinion of this period of time, a time when Allende supporters who could not escape the country were murdered or placed in detention camps as political prisoners, Woods sensitively recreates this period through the eyes of children from the populace divided by the middle class and the poor, a technique which works on every level.

Saint Patrick's School for boys in Santiago is headed by a kind priest/principal Father McEnroe (Ernesto Malbran) and the rich to middle class uniformed boys include one 'strawberry faced', quiet, chubby Gonzalo Infante (Matías Quer) whose family is of means but has issues of covert infidelity with the mother (Aline Küppenheim) and father (Francisco Reyes). The Allende government is shaky, and in an attempt to appease the poor class, Saint Patrick's School takes on students from the shantytowns to 'democratize' education. Among these new students is Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna) who seems to be a loner but soon becomes the brunt of the rich kids' prejudice. Gonzalo befriends Pedro and gradually the two form a strong bond which leads to each of the boys learning about their separate families and life styles: Gonzalo's life of luxury dazzles Pedro while Pedro's humble shack houses warm family that Gonzalo envies. The friendship leads to a close examination of the schism of racism and political clashes brought into sharp focus as the military coup changes everything. Only friendship remains intact in a dramatically tested fashion.

Andrés Woods marries the political and the human aspects of this chaotic time in Chile and offers us insights into the ongoing changing governments of South America. His script (which he wrote with Eliseo Altunaga, Roberto Brodsky and Mamoun Hassan) is spare leaving space for much of the story to be told by observing the interaction of his two main characters with their associates. The result is a deeply moving film, an opportunity to observe the tenuous times of a period most of us barely understand. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, May 07

Andrés Wood is a highly regarded Chilean filmmaker, a man unafraid to take on controversial issues and present them in a manner that is revelatory to his audience, whether that audience is in Chile or other South American countries - or in Europe or North America. In MACHUCA he transports us to the year 1973 in Chile when Pinochet's military coup overthrew Allende's socialist 'democracy'. Knowing that there remains a divided opinion of this period of time, a time when Allende supporters who could not escape the country were murdered or placed in detention camps as political prisoners, Woods sensitively recreates this period through the eyes of children from the populace divided by the middle class and the poor, a technique which works on every level.

Saint Patrick's School for boys in Santiago is headed by a kind priest/principal Father McEnroe (Ernesto Malbran) and the rich to middle class uniformed boys include one 'strawberry faced', quiet, chubby Gonzalo Infante (Matías Quer) whose family is of means but has issues of covert infidelity with the mother (Aline Küppenheim) and father (Francisco Reyes). The Allende government is shaky, and in an attempt to appease the poor class, Saint Patrick's School takes on students from the shantytowns to 'democratize' education. Among these new students is Pedro Machuca (Ariel Mateluna) who seems to be a loner but soon becomes the brunt of the rich kids' prejudice. Gonzalo befriends Pedro and gradually the two form a strong bond which leads to each of the boys learning about their separate families and life styles: Gonzalo's life of luxury dazzles Pedro while Pedro's humble shack houses warm family that Gonzalo envies. The friendship leads to a close examination of the schism of racism and political clashes brought into sharp focus as the military coup changes everything. Only friendship remains intact in a dramatically tested fashion.

Andrés Woods marries the political and the human aspects of this chaotic time in Chile and offers us insights into the ongoing changing governments of South America. His script (which he wrote with Eliseo Altunaga, Roberto Brodsky and Mamoun Hassan) is spare leaving space for much of the story to be told by observing the interaction of his two main characters with their associates. The result is a deeply moving film, an opportunity to observe the tenuous times of a period most of us barely understand. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, May 07

This film, presented very recently in Ottawa on celluloid, is a moving,believable tale of two youngsters from different social strata, Pedro and Gonzalo, who become classmates and friends due to the efforts of a compassionate priest (who seems to have actually existed)in allowing a group of poor children to attend an exclusive private school in Santiago during the latter part of Salvador Allende's presidency. Their friendship is portrayed realistically, and when Gonzalo visits the shantytown in which Pedro lives, it is easy to see why someone like Allende who promised Chile social and economic equality would be elected. The two youngsters' friendship,damaged just before the coup that led to Allende's death and Pinochet's decades-long rule, is broken as the school is taken over by the military and the shantytown where Pedro lives is razed by the new autocratic regime. If "Machuca" does find release as a compatible DVD (there is, strangely, a Betamax video version of it), it should be viewed and appreciated by many (it has been noticed at film festivals).

This is a story of 2 young Chilean boys who befriend one another during the turmoil of the Allende era. One boy is from a well to do family & enjoys a life of privilege. The other boy is from a poor family & is mistreated by society & the government.
This movie is well worth the money but be aware that unless you can get hold of a disk equipped with English subtitles, you will need some knowledge of Spanish to get the most from this film.

Like other reviews have already noted, this movie takes place in Chile in the early 70s during the last days of Allende's presidency. It depicts 2 young boys' struggle to be friends despite thier socio-economic differences. Although there are frequent clips of the coup and of protests, this film is really more about the human relationships and how they were affected by the politics of the era, not vice versa. In fact, it may help your understanding of the film a little to already have some background info on the coup, as the film doesn't delve too deeply to explain it.

Set in 1973 in the months leading up to the military takeover of Allende's democratically elected socialist government in Chile, this film looks back 35 years to offer a picture of social and political conflict that is full of ambiguities. Declining to take sides in the clash between middle-class haves and lower-class havenots, it reveals the well-to-do as insensitive and decadent and the poor as often hostile, duplicitous, and. cynical We identify instead with the children in the film who reach across class lines out of friendship and curiosity.

Setting his story within the walls of a boys school, the homes of his central characters, and the streets of Santiago, which fill with noisy demonstrations, Director Woods effectively represents a country teetering on the verge of civil war. Food supplies disappear into a thriving black market and a private school's attempt to admit a token handful of shantytown students precipitates an uproar from well-to-do parents who resent the breaking down of class barriers. Finally there is violence and bloodshed at the hands of the military, the undisputed villains of the film, who heavy-handedly restore order in the closing scenes, leaving its two young protagonists separated and receding into a kind of fog, represented by a literal loss of focus by the camera's lens. At two hours, the film takes time to illuminate the complexities of its subject matter, and it neatly dismisses any easy assumptions about what really led to Chile's decades-long military dictatorship.

Prepare yourself to be stunned and moved by this award-winning 2004 film.

"Only children and drunks don't lie," exclaims a young firebrand teenage girl articulating the controversial film's central theme.

The lives of three children, attracted despite class and educational backgrounds, come together and fall apart in this dark coming of age during a time of violent social conflict film. Children discover the lies, obsessions, hopes, and fears of adults in in Chile in 1973 - before and after the coup. They discover that friendship and good intentions are far too weak in the face of prejudice, tradition, hunger, and violence.

See the film, travel back to a time of political fanaticism, and watch the pleasures of youth become painful, mature understandings. Although more poignant than Missing, the film also seems less overtly political in its story. Yet this sometimes sweet film packs a very hard punch.

This movie is about the other 9/11--meaning 9/11/73 in Chile. There was a military coup that is little known in the US. The movie gives you the perspective of 2 boys growing up during that time. It is said that the director, Andres Wood, based the movie on his own experience growing up in Santiago. Great movie, great acting, great story. It will leave a print on your heart.

For americans or europeans this is the movie to see if you want to understand the Chilean process, and all the damage done by the CIA helping the right wing and the military. Is exactly the moment when everything broke, when nothing could be fixed and when the terror started to spread on the surface of the earth.

A beautiful movie of dawning Pinochet's time Chile as boys from different walks of life befriended attending the same Catholic school.

Too many emotions to write too long comment here.