Americano (2011)

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I saw the movie on TV5 and found it a great film. Why? Well, it's exactly the type of movie that I have lately been interested in. Like the movies of Michelangelo Antonioni, who was an inspiration for my latest novel, and like the movies of Sautet or Godard etc. The French movies from the sixties and seventies, in which not too much is happening (my wife always says, what the hell are you watching? Nothing's happening, there's no plot). Americano also reminded me of Paris Texas by Wim Wenders. Like Paris Texas it has this curious quality of a road movie mixed with certain story telling and autobiographical aspects. Anyway, who wants a straight story? I also liked the actors very much. Apart from that, the images are always fascinating. A star cast for a visual spectacle.

Most films are make believe, not documentaries.. so when you view them, you are doing it with a great leap of imagination and a blind eye at times. Americano is an interesting film, well scripted and acted. At forty-six Selma Hayek.. bit.ly/18K8d2A ..is still undoubtedly an exceptionally beautiful woman, and here once again she performs well in what is a fairly basic role... one that might easily have not been taken as serious by many actors of her stature. She's well know, but in truth is under-appreciated for just how good and dedicated an actor she really is. She's a very smart and interesting woman, continuing to please audiences with her ever expanding body of work.

this movie should be retitled 'the masochistic frenchman' - what a self destructive character Demy portrays. truly this story (which is very interesting in concept) is just torn to pieces by the main character stealing every scene and turn in this story! i didn't believe in his characterization at all.i understand his feeling of abandonment by his mother and the resentment he expressed in having to deal with her estate. but there is not enough background into his personality to support his deep hatred complication. (example - his tossing away of everything in the apartment without care). and just why would he care so much about Lola? a person he has not had contact with for decades! again - not enough character development to support the obsession and misery he endured on her behalf. it's just wasn't believable. and why would he steal the automobile? the telephone conversation he has with his father in which the father psycho analyses his son is just pointless by the time it shows up in the story.the only shining actor is geraldine chaplin! she is marvelous as the caring but dominating neighbor and not enough of her side of the relationship with the mother is made clear. the writer is too mysterious with his implication that Lola and the mother had something going in their 'friendship'. then the little Mexican boy - what? was that suppose to be Lola's son? not made clear. and the cemetery scene - again - what? sorry this flick is just too full of who, what, when, where, holes; and then he goes back to his lover in France. if you are a person that likes incomplete plot lines - check this movie out!

Demy's story is not without charm, and in between the stutter in a simplistic seen it man traveling abroad to recover the body of his parent, and in the process searching and maybe finding himself story, revolving around a bunch of pretty much generic characters, his lead written for himself en-tête, there are some small finds, like Chaplin's play, or Hayek's yet another stripper character. Unfortunately, however, the most outstanding negative feature is not even the direction, which exemplifies how any setting can be displayed from the most unflattering and bleak angle, from Paris to L.A., with the most uninspired framing you could believe possible, or the shaky borderline earthquake documentary camera work, nor the dialog, which is not a stand out, but in the film quality itself. It reminded me of the execrable film grain of the civic education videos they used to project at the cinema before the movie in my home country 25 years ago during the communist era. I guess Demy found a stash somewhere. Slightly worn.Also, on an even more humorous note, it will provide food for thought for those planning on some day spending a long weekend in Tijuana.