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Friday, March 24, 2017

MQFF NOTES: Death in Buenos Aires (2014, Dir. Natalia Meta)

Camp is everything in Natalia Meta's devilishly handsome Death in Buenos Aires. She's pulled everyone into its service.

But this is a robust camp, one that adds feather boas to gritty noir. Femme fatales are pretty boy cops (hello Carlos Casella) and our erstwhile anti-hero, Inspector Chavez (Demian Birchir), is both unresolved and sexually-tensed. Big hair, big tits, 80s classics, uniforms and abundant neon add to the flair of it all.

The convoluted plot goes hard at the corrupt upper class, drug trafficking and nepotism. It's cheesy but the cheese is bitey. Meta injects an undercurrent of social commentary without fucking with the mood. And she has a superb handle on the tension and the actors, all of whom find something beguiling in their characters.

In fact, I can't recall when queer pulp has looked this good or been this involving. Had an absolute ball.

★★★★

Trailer:

Death in Buenos Aires screened as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2017

You can check out other films from the festival here.

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