It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Ricardo Darín plays the part of a man in crisis. He runs a restaurant that only gives him worries; his girlfriend is tired of seeing him stressed; he has not time for anything, and in addition, his parents, after 40 years of irreligious living, have decided to get married before dying. Everything seems to crash and burn down in his life; a heart attack will make him to reconsider all his life and move him to make some with his life. The film is, possibly the best Argentinian film I've seen ever (and the best film I've seen during a long time, the directing is very good and, despite it is 2 hours long, at any moment can you detect the most little lack of rhythm as you'll be totally caught by the film. In the same way, the actors are impressive, and not only Darin, but Alterio's acting is superb; maybe deserving one Oscar (or at least, nomination). The story is really moving and make us think and watch how is our live, and if we are taking enough profit of it. A very, very good movie; if you can, don't avoid watching it.

This is a lovely film that can't but leave you feeling good. It deals with serious issues -midlife crisis, Alzeimers disease, the true meaning of love, but it does so in a way that doesn't beat you over the head with what to think or feel. You can react to it in your own way, on your own terms.For me, I really loved the metaphoric quality of the ending scenes. What is life but a stage, indeed.This movie is for anyone who enjoys the texture of multi-generational movies (ie. not everyone important is the same age). And certainly its for anyone who likes a good movie about family -it's joys and heartbreaks. Family is the struggle sometimes too.And you have to just love Argentina and the Argentines --good movie makers from way back that continue to deliver quality goods despite the obstacles to the contrary. Personally, I would have liked more social commentary. It's there, just not openly stated. Hmmmm. ¿Por qué sería?

My wife 'found' this film, of which I hadn't heard, in our local video shop and I'm so delighted she did.The central performance of Rafael was a tour de force - this actor stands very strong beside the likes of Pacino, and I can imagine him in many of the earlier 'gangster with hidden depth' roles the latter excelled in. He was so believable as the 'godfather' neighbourhood restaurateur. The other principal actors were also brilliant, although in my opinion Eduardo Blanco as the comedic interest overegged and hammed a little too much in a couple of scenes, eg as bogus priest. But that is nitpicking in one of the most memorable romantic films I've ever seen.I totally agree with one of the reviewers who compared and contrasted to the dreadful film travesty made of 'The Notebook'recently which missed all the buttons around Alzheimers and real people with real believable feelings and reactions. I also agree that while if this product had been American with J Nicholson, etc it would have been a surefire Oscar winner, it would actually have been ruined by the Hollywood treatment...Thanks you Argentina, and I hope to see much more of Senor Darin before long.

I am glad that when I took out this DVD from my local video shop I was unaware that one of the central characters had dementia. Had I known the story I probably would have chosen something else -- thereby missing one of the finest films I have seen in recent years. A truly mature account of a family in crisis, nicely sprinkled with humour. Throughout, I kept thinking of what a ghastly, saccharine film it would have been if the average Hollywood producer had got his/her sticky hands on it. Argentina can be proud of this film. Congratulations on an elegant script, sensitive acting by all the on-screen cast and, above all, the focused and delicately sure-handed direction.