Customer Reviews

Tinta Roja

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TINTA ROJA (Red Ink) is an excellent adaptation of Alberto Fuguet's novel by the same name that explores the world of tabloid journalism in Lima, Peru. Fuguet, himself a journalist as well as a brilliant Chilean novelist ("The Movies of My Life" etc), has provided an earthy story of a young writer Alfonso (Giovanni Ciccia) who longs to write novels, but sees, as his only entrance in to the writing arena, the job offered to him as a journalist following crime stories for a dingy tabloid edited by Faundez (Gianfranco Brero), a man with questionable scruples and secrets of his own. His philosophy : "News, like prostitution, is learned on the streets." And so our nascent reporter accompanies his boss to sites of murders, suicides, accidents, the drug scene, etc in the violent city of Lima, Peru. He is accompanied by a photographer Escalona (Fele Martinez) who captures the lurid details of the stories Alfonso attempts to stomach. Their driver is Van Gogh (Carlos Gassols, who all but steals this film!) who communicates in quotations both sensitively and hilariously from an international resource of famous people! Attempting to undercut Alfonso's reportage is Roxane (Yvonne Frayssinet), a seductive radio reporter who mingles with our staff in a humorous way. The love interest is provided by Nadia (Lucia Jimenez). The story builds in momentum until our idealistic hero finds himself swallowed up in the yellow journalism and smarmy lies and deceit that produces, only to find his way out with the discovery of his own dark genealogy and the help of his new friends.

Fuguet's stories are not easy to watch (or read,) as he is unafraid of the underbelly of society. But despite the somewhat excessive depiction of violence and gore, this movie makes its point very well. The pacing is excellent, the acting is excellent, and the ending makes the journey worthwhile. Director Francisco Lombardi is the only major Peruvian director
finding access to the international scene and he is a talent to watch.

This Peruvian film shows the reality in the latin-american press, It showed the drama and the typical dark comedy that is used in a sarcastic way against the goverment. The movie was very well made and the actors gave great performances.

This film, listed among Mexican movies, is actually a Peruvian film directed by Francisco Lombardi (who also directed "Captain Pantoja and the Special Service", "The Lyon's Den", "Fallen from Heaven", etc). Ths particular release is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Alberto Fuguet. It deals with tabloid journalism, following the changes of a young journalism student who is an intern at the newspaper.

This is a very well done and entertaining foreign film. Yet it has many commonalities to US films: it is a coming of age film; it portrays an attempted seduction by an older person which however is not sexual; it contains bawdy language mixed in with great quotes from Greek to Spanish; and it has some social commentary. It does not have a Hollywood ending however. Well worth watching and it just might change your mind about our neighbors to the South.