Argentina, 1985

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source: Argentina, 1985

The untold story of a singular event, the prosecution of the military responsible for 30,000 disappearances in Argentina. The acting by Ricardo Darin and Andrea Flechner is flawless, and the plot is speckled with terror and humor. My wife loved it too, and it's not her type of movie. I particlarly loved the mix of footage from the real trials and the current film making. Rven the side stories about the younger prosecuting attorneys work. Even if you know the outcome of the trials, the action is riveting. If you've ever seen films based on the Dirty War, trust me, this one is different. Check it out.

A bracingly riveting legal drama that sheds informative light on the historic Trial of the Juntas and the painstaking work that went into its preparation, Argentina, 1985 narrates the strategy of the attorney chosen to prosecute the ones responsible for the bloodiest dictatorship in Argentine history. Smartly crafted & strongly acted, the film is engrossing for the most part yet not realised to its full potential. Co-written & directed by Santiago Mitre, the story covers the legal challenges & constant death threats that the lead prosecutor faces along with his personal demons while preparing the case. The courtroom proceedings are shot with finesse, those real-life testimonies provide a powerful, disturbing & heartbreaking account of the brutality of the dictatorial regime and they happen to be provocative enough to rile up viewers' emotions. Despite the grim subject matter, humour surfaces on screen in the most unlikely of ways and is effectively carried out. But the plot also loses momentum every time it shifts focus from the main event to protagonist's own family life. Also, the prosecution team hardly faces any friction in the courtroom, for the back-n-forth plays that make this genre so captivating is missing here. But as expected, Ricardo Darín leads from the front with an assured input. Overall, Argentina, 1985 illustrates the political climate of its period setting in meticulous detail and makes for a gripping dramatisation of a vital slice of Argentine history. Still, there was more up for grabs as despite the 140 mins runtime, the film feels like a surface level exploration than an in-depth investigation. Strengthened by top-notch performances from its cast & first-rate work from the crew, this Argentine offering ranks amongst the better films of 2022 and is a must-see.

I saw the British premiere of 'Argentina, 1985' at the 2022 London Film Festival. It is inspired by events following the fall of the 1976-1983 military junta that had imposed its rule on Argentina. Civilian Chief Prosecutor Julio Strassera, finding that senior lawyers are either dead, unwilling or "super-fascist", is forced to assemble a team of young, untried but idealistic legal staff to assist him in prosecuting military men who refuse to even recognise the authority of the civilian court. The team begins its work while coping with threats including bomb scares and bullets received through the post. The trouble with films that are inspired by true events is it is unclear what is fact and what is inspiration. For instance, did the mother of Strassera's deputy Luis Moreno Ocampo really change her junta-supporting opinion on the strength of a single victim's testimony? Did Strassera's young son really spy on the judges as they made their deliberations? Indeed, was Strassera himself really the curmudgeonly but good-hearted soul he is portrayed as here? I found the film somewhat one-sided. Beyond a few stiffly-delivered statements along the lines of "We were fighting guerillas", the viewer is given hardly any insight into the junta members' motives: was it genuine concern for the nation? Personal enrichment? Or just power-madness? In the trial segment it is particularly noticeable that whereas Strassera's closing speech is featured (and delivered in a compelling but unflashy style by lead actor Ricardo Darín), the equivalent defence speech does not appear: for all I know the defence may not be allowed to make a closing argument in an Argentine trial, but its absence certainly made the trial segment feel a trifle unfinished. Other flaws include at least three major supporting characters being introduced with no explanation as to who they are, and inadequate explanations also about personalities and institutions that may be familiar to Argentine audiences, but not necessarily to their international counterparts (for example, I spent some time puzzling over what 'ESMA' was before the acronym was finally explained). But do not let those complaints put you off seeing this film. As a courtroom drama it largely works, and if the military men are portrayed as one-dimensional villains, many of the prosecution's team, at least, are provided with more personality (I particularly liked Strassera's no-nonsence wife, Sylvia). The mid-1980s setting is atmospheric. I would certainly watch this again.

Great true story that highlights why it's so important to have independent courts, that can't be bullied or harassed by anti democratic forces like the military in Argentina. This movie should be shown in every classroom in all democratic countries. To vaccinate against anti democratic behavior! A must see for all democratic and peace loving people, wherever they live. It will also give hope for them who currently live in a evil country with dictatorship. One day justice will be served and the good ones will win. It's only a matter of time, and the courage of good men and women who believes in justice!

A humorous slow burn thriller that functions as a catalyser to refresh democracy, dignity and courage, in these current communist and fascist times around the world over the last 5 years. Great cast and performance, Darin and Lansani thrust the script, tackling a delicate subject without overdoing it, without seeking too much tension nor superficiality. Almost like a new genre. This film is a critique of the current traditional system no longer trusted by over 78% of Argentines. An interesting scoop: the Argentinian government only allowed 200 theatres to show the movie. I went. The cinema laughed and roared. Massive.

Argentina 1985 would best serve as a documentary not a film. While the script moves along and the events based on a true story unfold you realise that the film has a feel of a television miniseries. Oddly the director decided to shoot the film in 4:3 ratio to give it 'authenticity' but it feels anything but authentic in terms of the period from where the docu drama is inspired. The script is great but was the director fresh out of film school?! While the story is remarkable the film itself is instantly forgettable. Cannot recommend unlike these self proclaimed 'critics' on this website do otherwise!

Argentina, 1985 is inspired by the true story of the prosecutors Julio Strassera and Luis Moreno Ocampo, who in 1985 dared to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the bloodiest phase of the Argentine military dictatorship, which fell only 2 years earlier. Without being intimidated by the regime, the expert Strassera and the young Moreno Ocampo formed a young legal team of unlikely heroes to wage an unequal battle. Constantly threatened, together with their families, they fought against time to give justice to the victims of the military junta which in 1976 deposed Isabelita Martinez De Peron in a coup. The members of the junta were tried for crimes committed by the Armed Forces in those years, which resulted in over 30,000 disappeared in December 1985, many were sentenced to life imprisonment. The film has the advantage of effectively reconstructing, in the same places where the facts took place, the difficult investigative work and the four-month trial with 833 eyewitnesses and survivors of clandestine detention and torture centers. Also using a surprisingly humorous tone, which makes the magistrate (played by an extraordinary Ricardo Darìn) more human, likeable his very young group of lawyers and affectionate his beautiful family reveals the private side of an honest man. The 1985 trial allowed the Argentine justice to recognize and reclaim a long denied right. It inaugurates democracy and condemns the use of violence as a possibility. When state terrorism takes hold in society, there is always an attempt to annihilate citizens and eliminate the possibility of communication.

It's not easy to talk about one of the darkest periods in Argentina's history - including torture, rapes and deaths - and to do it in an appealing way that doesn't become too heavy or exploit the victims' suffering in an abusive way. It's not easy, but they did it. The script by Llinás and Miter is quite refined, careful and intelligent in the way it addresses all the atrocities of the regime, always saying what it has to say, but it is also intelligent in the way it incorporates moments of humour, a personal and familiar dimension that helps us to identify with the characters, being able to transform everything that happened in one of the most important judgments in history into hope and a turning point. I'm not Argentine. I'm not an easy tear person. However, it is difficult to contain emotions in certain depositions or when in his closing arguments, prosecutor Straessera says "Nunca más" (Never Again). People who have lived under dictatorial regimes or who have heard the stories told by their parents or grandparents cannot remain indifferent to such a moment. Santiago Miter's direction is super smart too. It's filmed soberly when necessary. It's filmed using movement and different techniques when the action requires it, such as in moments of greater tension, such as during a harrowing dinner with the Assistant Attorney, Luis Moreno Ocampo. The editing is also very efficient, helping a 140-minute film on such a heavy topic - and with much of its time spent in an investigation or in court - pass quickly, using several scenes on the screen at the same time, resorting to overlapping voices and testimonies, resorting to music whenever the film has something to extract from it, not seeming to do anything by chance. Finally, it is impossible not to mention the excellent actors who make this film. All the supporting actors are at a good level, but the dynamic between Ricardo Darin (as the Attorney General) and Peter Lanzani (as the Assistant Attorney) is one of the highlights, always seeming true and honest, being easy to sympathize and cheer for those characters. Darin could very well have taken a more showy approach, but it is his sobriety and distinct personality that are his greatest strengths. A must-see film for anyone who cares about the human condition and dignity. A film that recalls that certain pages of history must never be lived again. Nunca más!