KAOS: Men of Hard Skin

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F I L M S K O O L

A F I L M I S A P E T R I F I E D F O U N T A I N O F T H O U G H T

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Teenager Ariel lives a seemingly quiet life with his father and sister on their picturesque farm in a rural part of Buenos Aires. However, unbeknownst to his family, Ariel has been abused for years by Omar, his neighbourhood priest. Having confused his mistreatment for romantic affection, Ariel takes it upon himself to free himself from their relationship and soon embarks on a secret affair with one of the male workers on his father’s property. Meanwhile, as Omar continues to succumb to his urges, he forms a friendship with a much older priest who finds himself wrestling with similar desires. BFI

In its coverage of issues of ecclesiastical abuse and rural isolation, José Celestino Campusano's film is undoubtedly important, but it's also frustratingly unfocused and meandering.

Ariel (Wall Javier) is an attractive and engaging protagonist - not merely a cowed victim, but full of vim and vigour, even in the face of the grimmest of circumstances. The rural Argentine location is interesting, and there are tantalising strands of story here, but it all feels lost in the mix.

Men of Hard Skin is a fair try, but it lacks the urgency of, say, Socrates. Despite its failings, it's still worth a watch.

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"A film is a petrified fountain of thought." Jean Cocteau, French filmmaker, 1889-1963

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