Moody And Topical ‘Rojo’ (2019) Is A Terrifying Glimpse Of A Complacent Society

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” – Edmund Burke.

In the case of the 2019 movie Rojo, directed by Benjamin Naishtat (History of Fear 2014), we see how the complacency of an entire population will allow a military dictatorship to slowly take hold. The film takes place in mid-1070s Argentina and stars Dario Grandinetti (Talk to Her 2002), Andrea Frigerio (The Distinguished Citizen 2016), Alfredo Castro (Tony Manero 2008), and Diego Cremonesi (Kryptonita 2015).

Synopsis:

In the Argentina pre-coup d’etat, a successful lawyer starts to feel against the ropes when a secret of the past threatens his present.

At the start of the film, the lawyer, Claudio (Grandinetti), has an altercation with a rude young man at a restaurant where the two trade insults about each other’s upbringings and social statuses. He meets this stranger later that night in an incident that ends badly. Claudio will spend the rest of the movie struggling with the consequences of his actions.

For the most part, Claudio and his wife, Susana (Figerio), live the quiet, smug, and breezy life of the upper classes. But something about this perfect existence seems a little bit off. It becomes obvious over the course of Rojo that, interspersed with their cocktail parties and tennis matches, there are roadblocks, lootings, bloodstained walls, and disappearances. But Claudio and the others move through all of these as though they were normal occurrences. Even the high school-aged children feel that it’s fine to attack a classmate without repercussions. The only real wrench in Claudio’s life comes in the form of Detective Sinclair (Castro), who arrives to search for the now missing man Claudio confronted at the restaurant.

I did enjoy the film, although it raises some interesting questions: when does indifference become complicity? And at what point should the public hold themselves responsible for what comes after? For the most part, Rojo is successful at answering them. I have to say that any viewing of this film is greatly enhanced by having some knowledge of the history of 1970s Argentina. Without that, many of the subtleties of the story are lost on the viewer.

The acting is impeccable, especially Dario Grandinetti as Claudio. The real star here, though, is Alfredo Castro as Detective Sinclair. The film is shot like an old ’70s film, with freeze frames, gritty cinematography, and slow-motion photography. The effect is a wonderful throwback to that era of films.

Watch Rojo right here!

Less successful for me is the pace of the film. Rojo is a very, very slow burn… almost too slow for your average viewer. That being said, the film has a strong message that is reflective of current times. For those with patience, Rojo has a lot to say. It is now available on digital platforms!