3.5 out of 5 stars
Over the years, making great heist films has little to do with the characters' method to pull off their covert operation. At the heart of every story, you will find a moral or emotional purpose that justifies the actions of those perpetrating the crime. From The Sting to the Oceans Eleven franchise, audiences have managed to be accomplices to some of the greatest heists of cinematic history. Heroic Losers will be compared to some of these classics. Still, the Argentinean film does manage to stand out on its own within this illustrious genre.
Prior to the Argentine economic crash of 2001, Fermín (Ricardo Darín) and Lidia (Verónica Llinás) Perlassi work with their friend Antonio Fontana (Luis Brandoni) to reopen an agricultural cooperative, "La Metodica.” It sits in the heart of the quaint community where they reside and it has the potential to rejuvenate the economic state of the township. All they need to do is raise 300,000 pesos through the investments of all of the local business owners. They manage to raise 158,653 pesos, which Fermín deposits in a safety deposit box in the city up the road. As they consider how to increase their funds, they get a call from the bank manager. He manages to convince Fermín to deposit the money in his personal account to improve the town’s chances of securing a bank loan.
Unaware that the Argentinian economy would crash the next day, all of their money is swept up in the governmental situation. This horrific situation causes the Perlassis to experience some difficult days with the local investors. They discover that the bank manager had been colluding with a local lawyer, Fortunato Manzi (Andrés Parra), to get all of the funds from the bank before the country’s collapse. With this knowledge and after a tragic family incident, a small group of locals decide they will do what they can to get their money back from the corrupt lawyer who had stored their money plus that of many others in a state of the art vault in a secluded field.
Many may ask why they would venture out to see a small Argentinian film with all of the earmarks of most heist films of the past. To answer this query, you need to look at the refreshing character development, comedic timing, and heart-warming aspects of this film as a motivation. The heist is a driving force for this project, but at the heart of it is a beautiful tale of caring for your community. Writer and director Sebastián Borensztein interpretation of Eduardo Sacheri's novel manages to develop his central characters and the supporting crew with subtlety and finesse. Qualities provide audiences with an enjoyable night at the cinemas if they are willing to accept the subtitles.
As a veteran actor, Ricardo Darín, manages to carry this film through the depths and heights of this dramatically comical journey. Not to say that he carries the film on his own, because he is surrounded by a magnificent cast. Each actor takes on their roles with convincing clarity and seems to enjoy their alternative personalities. Despite some predictable elements and an overly long build-up, the entirety of the movie proves to be an unexpected feel-good story that will keep you engaged through to the ending credits.
Reel Dialogue: Where can you find your treasure?
As a student of the Bible and film, Heroic Losers manages to allude to multiple parables from the New Testament. Even with its underlying themes of injustice and revenge to fuel the fire of heist planning, more elements are considered. From Jesus’ stories of treasure found in a field to tenants who mistreat the messengers from the king, but none as poignant as his teachings of money in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthews 6.
This teaching is meant for Jesus’ followers, but these timeless truths speak into the priorities of humanity. Specifically, they warn against having money as your primary goal and purpose in life. Not to say that money is not important, but to show that having it as the primary focus of your life will lead to anxiety, turmoil, and dissatisfaction. He provides an alternative for anyone willing to listen. Jesus points to the real treasure of life: to put your faith in God, not money. An eternal investment will provide dividends beyond expectations while delivering hope and peace instead of the less than satisfactory fruits of money.
The Sermon on the Mount is a great place to start if you are exploring what the words of Jesus mean to us in this modern era.
