Very refreshing and intriguing movie about an -nearly- ordinary person getting involved into a gangster business.I love this movie. It is slow, but that just gives you the time to think "what would I do ?". Unique story, unique colors and pictures. Very good characters and actors. Just watch it if you can.

The Argentinian writer-director Fabián Bielinsky gained international fame and recognition for his twist-filled feature length debut feature "Nine Queens" in 2000. Sadly, he only completed one more film before dying unexpectedly in 2006. "The Aura" is a much more obscure film that did not receive anything like its predecessor's worldwide distribution and attention, and when you see it you kind of understand why - it's a less accessible, less enjoyable film. That does not mean it's not worth seeing, though. First of all, you should know that - despite what the title or the poster might suggest - there are no supernatural elements here; it is, essentially, a heist movie like "Nine Queens", albeit a more serious one. Bielinsky directs with a sometimes mesmerizing virtuosity, but his script could have been tighter; the film is overlong at 2 hours plus. Darin's mostly impassive performance also requires some audience adjustment. But the final 15 minutes are quite suspenseful, and overall it is clear that Bielinsky was a gifted artist. **1/2 out of 4.

Fabián Bielinsky's last movie excellently performed by Argentina big star , Ricardo Darin . It deals with Espinoza (magnificent , as always , Ricardo Darin) is a quiet taxidermist who secretly dreams of executing the perfect crime. On his first ever hunting trip, in the calm of the Patagonian forest, his dreams are made reality with one squeeze of the trigger. Espinoza accidentally murders an old man named Dietrich (Manuel Rodal) married a young girl (a young Dolores Fonzi gives an enjoyable acting ) who results out to be a real criminal and inherits his scheme: the heist of an armored van carrying casino profits. Caught up in a world of complex new rules and frightening violence, Espinoza's lack of experience puts him in real danger. And he has another, more dangerous liability : he is an epileptic. Before each seizure he is visited by the ''aura'' . These attacks appear without notice when he least expects them, just when he needs all his wits about him .This is a co-production Argentina/Spain , being well paced , skillfully edited and suspenseful . Interesting and exciting movie about a deluded taxidermist who plans the perfect robbery ; it is plenty of thrills , intense drama , violence , action and is pretty interesting . However , the picture turns out to be overlong and slow moving . Very good acting by Ricardo Darin as a shy taxidermist who suffers epilepsy attacks , a paradoxical moment of confusion and enlightenment where the past and future seem to blend , and he is obsessed with committing the perfect crime. Darin is an excellent leading figure of the most important Argentinian movies such as "El Faro" (1998), "El Mismo Amor La Misma Lluvia" (1999), "Nueve Reinas" (2000), "La Fuga" (2001) and especially ¨El Hijo de la Novia¨ . Stirring as well as sensitive musical score by Lucio Godoy , an extraordinary composer expert on dark atmospheres such as ¨Rage¨, ¨Night runner¨, ¨The others¨, ¨Intacto¨ and many others . Colorful and evocative cinematography by Checco Varese . The motion picture well produced by great producers Gerardo Herrero and Victor Hadida , was compellingly directed by Fabian Bielinsky , in his second and last film , the first was also successful titled ¨9 Reinas¨ also starred by Ricardo Darin and even had an American remake . Fabian sadly deceased at 47 years old . This is an above average film and Argentina's official submission to the 2006 Academy Awards for the category of Foreign Language Film . The picture will appeal to Ricardo Darin fans and thriller aficionados .

One mark of a good film is the way that it develops from its premise - a good film will move in ways that, while plausible, take the audience to places they did not expect. 'El Aura', Fabien Bielinsky's superbly crafted film, is a perfect illustration of this; although it could be summarised as a crime thriller, it defies the genre, and builds its story carefully and slyly. Moreover, while its epileptic hero (played excellently by Ricardo Darin) may stumble slowly into a belief in the "perfect crime", the film itself displays no such laziness. This movie lasts for well over two hours, and the pace is superficially slow; but the film never drags. There's plenty of gorgeous Patagonian scenery in the background as well.