Pablo Trapero's film tells a tough tale set in the slums of South America; but for much of its length, with its focus on community organisation and the struggle of workers to get paid, it resembles less 'City of God' than a Ken Loach movie, and it's not necessarily the worse for that. What is lacks, however, which Loach's movies do not, is a sense of perspective beyond those of those who try to help the slum's inhabitants: we see the story through the eyes of two priests, and a social worker, but not of the slum dwellers themselves. Indeed, the film (which is very watchable) could have been longer: a female gangland boss seems a potentially interesting character, but she only gets one scene, while the question of who is screwing the workers (and whether allies of the Church might actually be involved) is raised by not answered. It's a nice small movie; but one that contains a bigger picture that is never fully shown.

The evils of society at large, are examined by Argentine director Pablo Trapero. He sets his story in the "favela" like shantytown that sprouted near an abandoned huge project for a hospital that was started decades ago in Buenos Aires, seen today as a typical "white elephant", an useless structure that houses today the marginalized inhabitants to the nearby slum. Drugs are a lucrative business within this ghetto. Assault weapons and fire arms can be found almost everywhere. Add all that to the precarious living conditions and this sort of hell on earth is not even fit for anyone to live.There is a prologue to the story. Father Julian, who has met Nicolas as they were studying for the priesthood, goes into the Peruvian jungle to rescue his friend from the massacre which he miraculously survived, carrying the guilt for not having died himself. Julian brings Nicolas to Buenos Aires to the church where he is tending to the poor inhabitants of the shantytown. Unknown to Nicolas, Julian has been diagnosed with a strange neurological disease, which is never mentioned. In a way, Julian has reached to Nicolas to be his successor, once he is not around.Nicolas encounters all kinds of human tragedy in the area. A young social worker, Luciana, is another source for bringing hope to the desperation of the people in the shantytown. It does not take long before Nicolas realizes the attraction he feels for the young woman, who also has fallen passionately in love with the young priest. As was rages within the confines of the slum town, bringing tragedy into the area. Julian has to do wonders in order to feed the needy while silently suffering the disease that is robbing his life.The screenplay was a collaboration by the director, Martin Mauregui, Alejandro Fadel and Santiago Mitre. The idea is not exactly new, as this has been the subject of movies of such impact as Fernando Meirelles' "City of God" as well as others that have examined the misery, despair and cruelty found in places such as the one depicted in this film. Where Mr. Trapero succeeds is in the handling of the cast. Ricardo Darin is a natural whose work gets better all the time. Jeremie Renier has some good moments, although he seems a bit out of place. Martina Gusma, who is Mrs. Trapero in real life, makes the most of her Luciana. Guillermo Nieto's cinematography is crude, something that was required to make the movie work. Michael Nyman's film score does not go well with the images on the screen.

The perfect portray of human hypocrisy. I guess the actual message in this movie is that nothing really ends, nor the struggle for a better life or the evil that keeps people from getting a better life.Some other reviewer stated this kind of story had already been told... Well has it?. Not this one in particular, I think the characters are quite real. Both main characters and extras have done a wonderful job keeping it real, nothing i have seen in Argentinian films for a while.The shots are beautiful and seem to capture very well the actual landscape of the "villas". Music on the other hand doesn't live up to the most dramatic moments in the film, and personally I think it could have been improved.To sum up "Elefante blanco" is definitely a movie to be watched, and mostly a message to be heard.

Really disappointed me with a very weak argument, it seems that the film tries to portray only what we already know what happens in the villages. Images repetitive, almost exaggerated, about the inhuman conditions in which many people live in our country, make a documentary film class. Yes, it is impeccable filming, excellent cinematography, setting, and a way to shoot that turn the viewer into another resident of that place. Not so the music I think is another weak point because, beyond the issue of Pity Alvarez with which opens and closes the film, music that is heard is really bad.But the film fails because it fails to catch a solid script and with characters that are created in such a way to get in your skin. Darin always right but off other papers, it sticks Renier with authority about his character but the most important protagonist of the film seems to be the rain, constant, unbearable, identified as another of the many shrines that these people must suffer, suggests almost as God forgot that part of the world. In short, a movie not to miss, but it is far from being among the best of Trapero, of Darin, of the year of our cinema.