Migration is one of those processes to which no one is immune. Like any transformation, it is unpredictable and opens up a range of potentialities that range from euphoria to depression. That is why many, despite the chaotic circumstances in which they live, are terrified of leaving their native country while others, almost as if possessed, can only see the possibility of growth far from home. Saying goodbye to our loved ones, having to finish off – in many cases – the things we acquired with so much effort, starting expensive and stressful legal procedures, facing language barriers, starting from scratch and having to deal with perennial uncertainty are some of the trials that every migrant has to face. There is not a single person whose pulse has not trembled when making the decision to leave for new directions (with or without guarantees). It is this complex dichotomy that draws, through tragicomedy, Bye Buenos AiresGerman Kral’s new film opening this weekend at the Coral Gables Art Cinema.
Set in the turbulent Argentina from 2001, the film tells the story of Julio (Diego Cremonesi), a musician who plays tango with his companions and who fights to survive doing what he loves so much. Tired of not having a well-paid job and fed up with politics, our protagonist decides to emigrate with his mother and daughter to Germany. A process that will force him to burn bridges (such as selling his car, ending the family business, separating from his band, etc.) and that will be hindered by the vicissitudes that the country is going through. Paradoxically, while everything seems to be going wrong in his migratory process, Julio begins to grow with his tango group (getting a legend of the genre to sing with them), he accidentally meets a girl with whom he builds an emotional bond and He realizes that his mother and daughter are not very sure about leaving. All of this puts Julio at a crossroads, making him doubt whether leaving the country is the right thing to do or not.
Written by German Kral (One more tango, Cuban music), Stephan Puchner (Cuban Music, Pornorama) and Fernando Castets (The bride’s son, Luna de Avellaneda, Maroa), Goodbye Buenos Aires It portrays with great delicacy, humor and drama one of the main conflicts that has been on the fore in Latin America—and the world—for years: migration. Far from blaming a specific government for this or turning it into a pamphlet—and despite taking place at a very specific moment in Argentine history—the script focuses on giving us a context with which we can all identify. Corrupt politicians, financial measures that unleash chaos, a social crisis that affects the most vulnerable sectors and a feeling of shipwreck are some of the assessments that we have on the order of the day regardless of the country or the time where we are. To level this bucket of cold water that confronts us with our reality, the plot also shows, in parallel, the nicest aspects of our homes such as the closeness to the cultural legacy, the emotional ties, the idiosyncrasy that unites us and the ease of create bonds when we feel “at home”. This makes its protagonist’s decision between leaving or staying transformed into a dichotomy that is almost impossible to resolve.
Goodbye Buenos Aires It is full of endearing and characteristic characters that make the tragedy that the country – and the protagonist – is experiencing much more passable through humor. A bartender obsessed with apocalyptic news from space, a gambler clinging to synchronicity, a botched mechanic, a tango teacher forgotten in a nursing home, a single mother who belligerently drives a taxi and a man with ironclad political convictions, end up embodying — and giving voice—to the different aspects that make Julio rethink each of the steps he takes. Thanks to its first-class cast and luxury performances (where even the specific participations shine), the dialogues full of mordacity come and go like a tennis match, making it impossible for us not to empathize with the troubles and virtues of each of the characters (something very difficult when it comes to issues as polarizing as those raised by history).
The direction of German Kral (One more tango, Cuban music, The last applause) moves easily between making us laugh and moving us, creating a special contrast between the scenes full of dynamism where many characters interact and the moments where Julio introspectively observes everything from afar. At the same time, Kral creates musical montages that, beyond standing out for their beauty to the rhythm of beautiful themes, serve as a metaphor for the emotional state of the protagonist and the story (a mix between longing, sadness and love, like a good tango). Although Buenos Aires is another great protagonist of the story, its director is in charge of showing it to us, avoiding all the clichés of a tourist’s gaze, opting to portray the streets, bars and places that are less known but that exude a certain natural charm that is impossible to replicate anywhere. another place. This reinforces its system of images that shows us a beautiful, but ruined country and that finds its counterpart in the local bar where the characters play (an old and decadent place called “Glorias Argentinas” where extremely talented musicians perform dreamy songs).
Goodbye Buenos Aires It reminds us that migrating is exchanging some anxieties for others and that, at the end of the day, it is we—and not politicians or external circumstances—who build our home. Through its close characters and convoluted situations, the story uses a sense of humor as an antidote to life’s anguish and unsolvable dilemmas. Without a doubt, we will all be able to see in it a little piece of our personal and collective history. Evading all kinds of pretensions or moral lessons, Goodbye Buenos Aires It is responsible for exposing an archetypal story through a local story to make us reflect on our decisions to stay or leave and the importance of not making concessions to what is truly vital for us. Only in this way, listening to our hearts, will we have the only certainty that will serve as a guide on the eventful path of life.
The best: its black humor and tragicomic tone. The universal conflict that it raises without losing the local flavor that makes it special. Its witty characters and biting dialogues. The spectacular soundtrack. His balance between criticism of politicians and personal drama.
The bad: Its resolution, although quite real, can be interpreted as complacent (in addition, its staging is almost Hollywood and completely breaks with the organic register that the film had).
About the Author:
Luis Bond is a director, screenwriter, editor and teacher. Since 2010 he has dedicated himself to film criticism on the web, radio and print publications. He is Tomatometer-approved critic in Rotten Tomatoes ( ). His training in film has been complemented with studies in deep analytical psychology and symbology.
Twitter (X), Instagram, Threads, TikTok: @luisbond009
Web: www.luisbond.com
