El estudiante (2011) Reviews

• University politics

  hof-42014-12-28

  Roque Espinosa arrives in Buenos Aires from a provincial town to study in the UBA = University of Buenos Aires. He soon realizes that he doesn't have much motivation for scholarly pursuits, and that he possesses instead innate abilities as a politician. He is introduced to the labyrinthine paths of university politics by Paula, an assistant professor and delves into a world of cynicism, manipulation and betrayals large and small, where his political orientation seems to be largely determined by the women he is bedding down at the moment. Loyalties are nonexistent and alliances shift with dizzying speed; gains and losses are at times difficult to identify. At the end of the movie he says "no" to a proposed alliance, which is somewhat hopeful - he has said "yes" during the whole movie. I have three objections. First, actor Esteban Lamothe (Roque) is a little short of the charisma needed for the role - he is in almost every scene and his acting tends to the monotonous. Second, the twists and turns of politics in the UBA, no doubt interesting for participants is not so compelling for us, the observers, the people watching this movie. Third, the movie implies that all UBA appointments, including teaching positions are the result of internal politics. Having had one of these positions I believe the implication is not correct; the UBA enjoys a high international reputation due to selection of its professors on the basis of achievement, as in any other prestigious university. Director Santiago Mitre uses a documentary, hand-held camera style that suits the subject.