Más que un hombre

Title: Más que un hombre
Released: 2007

I recently saw Más
que un hombre in the fashionable Puerto Madero Cinemark theater in Buenos Aires. The movie was one of the only Argentine films among the sea of Hollywood flicks, but the theater featuring Más que un Hombre ended up being completely empty. Despite the lack of local interest, the film was a great take on an old theme: life during the Dirty War military dictatorship of the 1970s, with (somehow), a comedic twist.

Telmo, a middle aged wig wearing gay tailor who lives with his mother, hides the young, attractive "political dissident" Olaf, who is being pursued by the police because of his leftist views and political activism. Complete with tango dancing, mate drinking, and plenty of Argentine slang, the film captures the fear and terror that Argentines had to live with during those dark years. At the same time, there is a lightness to the movie in its characters and in their relationships, demonstrating that despite difficult times, despite the horrible things people can do, there are still others who are willing to risk their lives to help others.