Ausente (2011) Reviews

• Fantastic

  itsvivek4u2011-07-16

  I have never ever seen such a long scene of sexual tension built up as it was shown in this movie. And at the same time, I have never been in a theatre with such pin drop silence because there are no scenes that evoke laughter. You are just waiting and watching as to whats going to happen next. I dunno if it is right to call this film as a thriller but there is a different thrill that you feel while watching the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 16 year old Martin finds his swimming instructor Sebastian very attractive. One day he fakes of an eye injury in the class, and Sebastian take him to the hospital. Martin has already planned in his mind a web of lies for why he cannot go back home and finally succeeds in getting an invitation from Sebastian to sleep at his house. But thing are not simple as they seem. The night seems pretty long where neither of them is able to sleep really well. Sebastian next day finds out that Martin's parents were looking for him all night. He also finds a note in his car from Martin apologizing for telling him the lies. When Sebastian confronts him, he very openly tells him that he was hoping something will happen between them that night. This infuriates Sebastian and he hits him. Things are not same. Now Sebastian is having weird feelings and he cannot even concentrate on his girlfriend. He keeps thinking of Martin. Martin meanwhile stops coming to swimming class and is spending more time with his friends. In an unfortunate accident Martin dies and this is when Sebastian has to deal with his emotions. He recalls how maybe on some occasions he might have possibly given the boy some hints and starts questioning his own feelings for the boy. Guilt struck, he is now hoping that somehow Martin will forgive him for what he did. You have to really watch the film to closely absorb the beauty. The entire night sequence where Martin stays at Sebastian's house and events unfold is simply superb. There is so much sexual tension on the screen that as a viewer it was a completely new experience for me trying to anticipate what can happen next. Another beauty of the film is that there is no heightened drama or dialogues or anything. None of the scenes have been filmed with melodrama, however drastic they are. The subtlety of these scene make a much more stronger impact. The end is so beautiful when Sebastian follows the image of Martin in his head in the swimming club just hoping to be forgiven. Excellent acting and a fantastic direction. It is an incredible sexy drama of repressed passion, guilt and regret. The slow build of the characters is fabulous with the relationships unfolding, refolding and unfolding back again. Strongly recommended. Whenever there is something new, I just have to lap it up

• Another beautiful movie from the author of Plan B

  jm107012012-04-05

  I loved Plan B so much that I immediately started looking for other movies by Marco Berger, its writer/director, and this movie is what I found. Rather, I found its title and a brief description - finding the movie itself was a much greater challenge. It took several months and some clumsy use of Google Translate to make my own English subtitles, but I'm happy to say that it was worth all that trouble and more. Hopefully by the time most people read this review this marvelous movie will be readily available on DVD with English subtitles. Anyone who loved Plan B probably will love Ausente too. This is a much more polished and professional production, and it is set in a much more upscale environment than Plan B's rather grungy world of working-class Buenos Aires; but it shows the same steady and confident hand, the same refusal to employ melodrama or tired stereotypes, the same dedication to character development over action that made Plan B so satisfying. Ausente is the story of a 16-year-old boy who has a crush on his swimming coach, a straight man in his mid-thirties. Most online descriptions of this movie sensationalize the story in (I assume) a misguided attempt to drum up interest in it: saying that it is a thriller, as if the boy is a stalker, reckless in his pursuit of the man, threatening to sabotage his job and his future, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a lovely, gentle, very understated and subtle story. It is even gentler than Plan B is, and its gentleness is what I loved most about that movie. The boy in Ausente is considerate and respectful, and although he manipulates situations in an attempt to get closer to the man, he never threatens, never behaves any more irresponsibly than any teenage boy would and a lot more responsibly than most. There is not one scary scene, not one melodramatic or sensational or prurient or exploitative scene in this lovely movie. There is no stalker, no predator or victim; no one is ever in any kind of danger. In a sense, nothing much even happens: the boy tricks the man into letting him stay a night in his apartment, and there is fairly dramatic erotic tension during that night as the boy longs for something to happen. This is a movie about feelings, about a deep, strong attraction, not about actions. If you need action, avoid this movie like the plague. That's probably why this wonderful movie is slow finding distribution and may never see distribution in the US - it's not violent and sensational enough. It's a slow, quiet, gentle, beautiful movie that pays off in emotional depth, not action and noise and sleaze. In other words, it's about as far from Hollywood as a movie can be. If the boy WERE a stalker, if the coach WERE threatened, then Ausente not only might be available on DVD now but might even be up for a Hollywood remake. My sincere hope is that some small distributor will discover this gem and make it available to those of us who love movies like this.

• The vagaries of love: life and expectations and consequences

  gradyharp2013-10-07

  Argentinean writer/director Marco Berger has created one of the more subtle, quiet, and genuine examinations of infatuation and love on film. He enters the realm of forbidden fruit - 'pedophilia' - reverses the roles, and in doing so shares with his viewers the psychology of human attraction and the manner in which society views, condemns, copes, or embraces the overall spectrum of love. This is a deeply touching eloquent film that places Berger in the echelon of the best of sensitive filmmakers. It is an incredibly sexy drama of repressed passion, guilt and regret. Martin (Javier De Pietro), a 16-year-old Argentine student, is exploring the reactions of his swimming coach, Sebastián (Carlos Echevarría), while vying for his love and affection. One day he fakes of an eye injury in the class, and Sebastian takes him to the hospital. Martin has already planned in his mind a web of lies for why he cannot go back home and finally succeeds in getting an invitation from Sebastian to sleep at his house. It s a night of quiet tension: Martin longs for physical contact with Sebastián while Sebastián keeps him off at a distance, but at the same time is very kind and nurturing. Martin is considerate and respectful, and although he manipulates situations in an attempt to get closer to Sebastián, he never threatens, never behaves any more irresponsibly than any teenage boy would and a lot more responsibly than most. Martin continues to inch further and further towards crossing the line. Sebastian the next day finds out that Martin's parents were looking for him all night. He also finds a note in his car from Martin apologizing for telling him the lies. When Sebastian confronts him, he very openly tells him that he was hoping something would happen between them that night. This infuriates Sebastian and he hits Martin. Afterwards things are not same. Now Sebastian is having weird feelings and he cannot even concentrate on his girlfriend. He keeps thinking of Martin. Martin meanwhile stops coming to swimming class and is spending more time with his friends. Sebastian must deal with his emotions. He recalls how maybe on some occasions he might have possibly given the boy some hints and starts questioning his own feelings for the boy. Guilt struck, he is now hoping that somehow Martin will forgive him for what he did. The closing scene is profoundly moving. The film has little dialogue, a lot of silence described by the impeccable cinematography of Tomas Perez Silva and enhanced by the musical score by Pedro Irusta. One of the reasons the film works so well is the fine acting by Carlos Echevarria and Javier De Pietro along with a supporting cast in small but character defining roles. But the major reason for the film's success is Marco Berger's intelligent, sensitive, and brave decision to make a film about a subject that could have been taboo and instead turn it in to a universal examination of the many permutations of love. Grady Harp

• With Absent, Marco Berger proves that his a world-class director

  gonzalo-j-varela2012-06-10

  With Absent, Marco Berger shows he's a world-class director. I have to confess that the slow speed of his movies irritates me slightly, and I have to confess, too, that I find all of his films very similar. But with Absent, he succeeded at connecting with, at playing games with, and even mocking the audience in a way that is frequently unseen in cinema. And I explain: to many (myself included), the outcome of the film is unnecessary. It prevents us from watching many other possible outcomes that could give a different closure. A more entertaining one, a more rational one, or a more whatever. And this upsets the spectator. But Berger, with unseen ability, places us as judges of ourselves. He exposes us, and makes us face our own stupidity by putting a mirror in the form of Mariana, Sebastian's girlfriend. The silly girl gets upset because the book she has just read didn't tell her the story she wanted to hear. So she's unsure on whether to recommend it or not. How long does it take for the spectator to see himself in the middle of that scene? Probably, it takes him as long as it takes to realise what a genius Berger is, for he, gracefully but bluntly tells us that life and expectations don't go together.

• beautiful

  Kirpianuscus2019-01-24

  It could represent a dessapointment when you expect a clear, precise, mind twisting film about a real delicate subject. But it is , first, a correct movie, using the suggestion as basic tool for a not comfortable conflict, love, seduction and temptation story. A teacher. And his student. A night and a mistake based on lie. And a powerful kick to put all elements in the right order. "Ausente" is just a beautiful film. Not a revelation, not the film who can provoke revolutions. But a honest story who seems endless because it is the only reasonable way for give this sort of story. So, a beautiful film.