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Why is Latin American is so good at making movies about Pitt Bull Terriers? After the astonishing Amores Perros, we now have a very different type of film with the breed (or at least a near relation, a potentially vicious looking piece of canine whatever way you look at it) at its centre. In the UK at least, and the USA I'm sure, Pitt Bulls are considered a social menace on a level with gun crime, but the Argentineans seem to admire, even evoke sympathy for this breed. Coco is an out of work mechanic, who ekes out a living making and selling carved knife handles while he touts for business at various garages and workshops in a desolate part of Patagonia. On his travels, he comes across a woman whose car has broken down by the side of the road and agrees to fix it for her. She repays him with a dog championship pedigree from her husbands' dog breeding business. So begins an enchanting buddy movie with a twist as Coco embarks on a journey into the bizarre world of professional dog shows. Non-professional actor (apparently he was the director's chauffeur) Juan Villegas is perfectly cast as mild mannered Coco. He has a wonderfully captivating smile, which hides a life tinged with sadness but easily brightened by simple pleasures and acts of kindness. He reminds me a little of the guy in Il Postino, but lets hope he makes more films than he did. I loved the chemistry between Coco and the dog (!), how they're both misplaced souls seeking their true vocation - Coco an experienced mechanic and Bombon a dog bred for hunting. In true dog/owner style they even begin to resemble each other! The film perfectly captures the bleakness of its Patagonian setting, yet remains warm and uplifting. Ultimately it's a film of hope and friendship, which often bought a smile to my face. There are some lovely little moments, such as when Coco wins a pair of sunglasses that make him look like "the men in black", and the dog training scenes where Coco wears white overalls and resembles Bombon even more – you wonder exactly who is training who! The ending is just right and refuses to resort to the sort of gross overstatement that Hollywood would have given similar material. Recommended!
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