Ricardo Darín was pretty much born into acting. Coming from a pair of actor parents, he started on Argentine television when he was just a boy and grew up in the industry, finding lots of success in TV, film, and theatre. But it was his role as con artist Marcos in Fabián Bielinsky’s film Nueve Reinas – or Nine Queens – that really cemented his role as one of Argentina’s key leading men. Join us — Pete Wright and Andy Nelson — as we kick off a new series celebrating the work of the fantastic Ricardo Darín starting with Bielinsky’s 2000 film Nine Queens.
We talk about Darín and how wonderful he is in this film, while we also ponder why it is perhaps that such a brilliant actor hasn’t tried to make the crossover into English language films. We discuss how Bielinsky got this film made after years of having no luck selling the script. We look at what cinematographer Marcelo Camorino is doing throughout the film with wonderful steadicam shots paired with long lens shots that really give the film a sense of voyeurism. We touch on the score by César Lerner and how it has a wide variety of styles throughout that pairs very effectively with the twists and turns of the con story. And we revel in said story, thrilled to see a con story work so effectively while also allowing for moments of small character beats that builds a stronger foundation for the script.
It’s a wonderful film that gets everything right, giving us a lot to look forward to in this series. So check out this movie then tune in! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.
Film Sundries
- Watch this film: Amazon • YouTube
- Script Transcript
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
