Maleeha Vincent
It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
KissEnglishPasto
........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA...and ORLANDO, FL La Gente de la Universal – 1991 Maria…...Full of Grace -– 2004 Ah-h-h-h-h….What a profound difference 13 Years Make! Movies that continue to ricochet around in your brain long after having seen them are who I am. Despite having seen LA GENTE only twice in the 90's, many of its haunting, uber-disturbing images have been domiciled in my gray matter ever since! To quote Yoda… "A Doctoral Dissertation of 30 or 40 pages, it deserves!" No Can Do Here! So, must find the wherewithal to overcome my "No Soy de Aquí, Ni Soy de Allá…!" Bicultural, Quixotic Quest, Hard-Wired Schizophrenic Tendencies…And Channel into some sort of Prioritized Logical Sequence! So…First Things First: La Gente de la Universal….A Critique… Director Felipe Aljure Salame committed a world class Mortal Sin against the First Commandment of Colombian Cinema Directors in the 90's… "Thou Shalt Not Incorporate Narcotrafficking Urban Legends into Thy Films Intended for International Distribution!" …Naughty Boy! On-Screen Fusion of Criminal & Religious Ritual Activities CATOLICAS!?!?! .....…Ay, DIOS MIO! Really can't go into any more detail, because that would, perhaps, be misconstrued as Spoilers! How is it possible that Sr. Aljure, in his first Directorial At Bat in 1991, hits an Out-of-the -park, Neurotic/Nefarious, Anti-Formula, Dark Classic Masterpiece for the Ages…Only to find himself Blackballed (?!?=My Educated Guess!) from film Directing for the next 11 or 12 years!?!?!? La GENTE must have really P*ssed Off the Colombian "Rosca" (Clique) with monopolist ties to international distribution channels! Just look at the IMDb title…No English Translation! Wow! Talk about stifling distribution chances outside of Colombia! Certainly, GENTE also P*ssed Off Colombians guarding the gates of National Distribution, as well…Despite being produced in 1991, GENTE was blocked from National Release until 1995!!! Go Figure!!!(FOOTNOTE added May, 2015: Well, since my Review was posted, as you can see, the English translation title was added at some time!) If you can manage to get your hands on this intentionally swept-under-the-rug gem, do so, and watch it! You are in for a scrumptious Dark Treat! This Review is dedicated to Felipe Aljure Salame…If anyone who reads this can communicate with him, please send him a link to this review.10*.....ENJOY / DISFRUTELA ! Any Comments, Questions or Observations, in English o en Espanol, are most welcome!......
Andres Gonzalez
It reminds me of Bunuel and Almodovar a bit...but this movie tastes different. It doesn't taste like a comedy per se because it is not but it doesn't taste like a drama because it is not either! It's a wonderful blend of silliness and betrayal in a society that condones both of them! The characters move like pieces of chess in a casual yet masterfully directed movie that looks like a match against the darkness and corruption that surround us every day.That's how Colombians survive all the bad stuff that falls on us everyday...smiling!
