Machuca (2004)

93 out of 129 people found the following review helpful:

Compelling

Rip from Manchester, 27th October, 2007

An evocative story which gives a good sense of how ideological and political change affects ordinary people in their everyday lives. To illustrate the impact, the film uses a group young people who are not in control of the changes but have their lives changed by them. The difficult situations and choices the young people have to face are used to good effect in illustrating a sense of impotence and frustration. The film is not all doom and gloom though, it does give some hope and shows moments where the young people both enjoy themselves and make a stand for what is right. A compelling watch.

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14 out of 17 people found the following review helpful:

Night of the junta

Richard Holland from North Wales, 18th January, 2006

Not dissimilar to Au resvoir les Enfants, this time the friends on opposite sides of a hostile situation are upper and lower class boys in Chile on the verge of civil war in 1973. For the most part this is a charming story of a posh boy becoming best mates with a lad from a shanty town. There's some fun, some sexual awakening with a precocious girl from the shanty town and interesting insight into a country I, at least, don't know much about. This is enough to lull you so that the final few minutes have even more impact and horror. It just shows that vicious inhumanity can happen anywhere and at anytime wherever there is social exclusion and political extremism. Well made, well acted and well paced, I'm almost ashamed to admit that what I enjoyed most was the surprisingly groovy soundtrack - intriguing Spanish-influenced psychedelia and funk. A fine film but nothing, other than the final sequences to strongly engage the viewer.

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5 out of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Hot stuff from Chile

A Customer from Manky Manc, 4th April, 2006

Provides a good background to the coup in Chile when thousands were murdered and totured by the dictator, Pinochet. Story is well told and steers well clear of becoming too sentimental.

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5 out of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Very moving

crispin40 from , 28th December, 2005

Basically this is the story of the fall of the Allende Government and the coup which followed it in Chile in 1973. We see the events through the eyes of a young teenage reasonably well off boy, Gonzalo Infante and his friend Pedro Machuca from the shanty town settlement. Well directed, acted and moves at a pace though some of the classroom scenes could maybe have been cut in order to make a shorter film but otherwise a very moving experience. If you liked Avoir et Etre or The Chorus then this could be your kind of film.

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Chile through the eyes of children

Amircuk from , 19th May, 2009

Great movie, eye opener about relatively unknown period and part of the world Its a description of the Junta uprising through the eys of the 2 boys form a very different social status Its a captivating look on society, social classes, revolution and friendship Amazing performance, heartwarming and touching

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Machuca --5 STARS

A Customer from Colchester, 1st April, 2009

This film about Chile is a real eye opener. I highly recommend it. Again in Spanish with subtitles. Fantastic ending. No corny Hollywood style.

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Well deserved 5 stars!

A Customer from Belfast, N.Ireland, 27th January, 2009

This film is easily one of the best Chilean films of all time. A sensitive, moving and informative look at historical events in this country from two very different social perspectives. Worth renting! Give it a go.

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machuca

A Customer from near coventry, 7th November, 2008

excellent film. convincing portrayal of rich and poor school-children growing up in chile as political activism and class based conflict escalate around them. easy to watch, and charming.

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