Most people see the world as black & white, good & evil, and this movie shows that not only cold capitalistic greed, but also wearm-hearted loving care can both cause great pain - if not accompanied by inner wisdom and ethics.(Of course capitalistic ventures damage greater numbers of people, but the principle is the same). So it's a brilliant movie about both sides of the same coin called "blind decisions".
... View MoreHow far people will go measures both their love of their family and what they're truly capable of. So be careful of loyalty. You may not know what you're up against.While searching for a "Modern Western," or a movie based in today's times with most of the Western genre's tropes, I stumbled upon The Debt, a 2015/6 gem I never heard of and may never have seen if not for the quick notice of the word "Peruvian" in the synopsis. You see, I just had a visitor, a friend, come from Peru and stayed here, near me in Arizona, for a month. I have not been to his country before, so I relished in the idea of watching a movie based in his country. And, boy, did it ever show more of Peru than I imagined it would.Actually, the movie is split into three overlapping stories with two completely set in Peru. A medical employee is desperate to take care of her elderly mother. A farmer's son is desperate to find his llama. And a corporate tycoon is desperate to land a deal no matter if it costs an arm or a leg. Wow. This movie should've been called Desperation. It's a good, slow-moving, interesting and realistic film. Nothing groundbreaking, but has some good twists and a heartbreaking third act that will show people's consequences when they didn't even know any were coming.Highly recommend this hidden experience. Plus, it might teach you a thing or two about Peru.***Final thoughts: I've seen this kind of threesome story before and probably will again. I happen to love this kind of filmmaking and have yet to get tired of it. If you do, as well, dive right in. Learn some more about (all country's) societies and yourself.
... View MoreSometimes in the film culture, there can be a presence of skewed portrayals of different ethnicities or places that aren't the reality of their actual representation. For example, a lot of people see Peru as just an exotic vacation destination because of the beautiful rain forests and Machu Picchu that's the logical destination. It's not depicting Peru in its entirety in the way it deserves. However, I can say with full conviction and admiration that Director Barney Elliot in The Debt, took the time and care to create a thrilling but heart felt drama while fostering Peruvian culture and history by accurately portraying the reality of Peru. He didn't set this high finance deal between New York businessmen and Peruvian farmers regarding the 1968 agrarian reform in Machu Picchu or the exotic shorelines. Rather, he showed the urban, busy life of Lima, the hard working farmland pastures of the Peruvian countryside, and the limited amount of hospital care in Peru to tell a moving yet suspenseful tale on the unexpected consequences of the character's decisions. I recommend this not only for fans of dramas but also it is important to be educated on the reality of our worldly surroundings.
... View MoreIn this story the common conceptions of the international free trade system are confronted. The film brings together the lives of various parties and focuses upon the fate of one boy.Individuals can be understood as separate and distant from each other. Yet in this depiction, the interdependence of individuals, of their actions, within the global economic system is brought into question.The film attempts to bring light upon and question the issues of independence, of the seemingly autonomous existence capitalism promotes and depicts the interconnected nature of dealings across the international economy, ultimately bringing the various parties together to confront the realities of the decisions they make.The writer/director does not attempt to go into the philosophy of film, nor do they give bourgeois depictions of meaning to life, but faces the realities of the system in which we live. It's not happy go lucky, the film is not an objection to capitalism nor does it try to be a sermon of the misfortunes of the poor and the evil natures of the rich, but presents a perspective of the responsibilities and realities we face in the economically focused lifestyles which we are a part of.In the same vain as 'blood diamond' and 'promised land'.
... View More