secondtake Dias de Santiago (2004)A total slice of life movie showing a lower class (and probably very common) family in a poor section of Lima, Peru. The main character has come back from three years in the military (fighting guerrillas and Ecuadorians, he explains) and he can't get a job, can't fit in. This is the plight of soldiers world round, and the core of the whole film noir content in American post-WWII films. So it matters, it's powerful, and it's believable.It also doesn't especially rise above its daily horrors--Santiago trying to keep in control, seeing his violent brother beat his girlfriend, having the same girlfriend seduce him as she asks him to kill the brother, finding the father having sex with Santiago's little sister, and lashing out against his own girlfriend, who is pretty decent overall, wanting an ordinary life.But an ordinary life can't seem to be found, or not easily, as he looks for a job. There is no one blamed in particular, just a spotlight on how hard it is for people to readjust to life after years away doing the military's bidding. And it's in that navy, for Santiago, that he felt needed and powerful and capable. Other ex-soldiers meet up with him and try to get him to rob a bank with them, but Santiago is a paradigm of the good man, trying to be kind to women, defend the innocent, and get a job. Life is just not always cooperating.For a U.S. citizen living well and aware of my luck, and some education and hard work but mostly being in the right country in the right century, and really felt for the dilemma of this man. And I made it relate to the similar plight of my own countrymen and women, here, as well as in countries everywhere. Is there something more that can be accomplished to make things more open and helpful? Does the military have a role to play in the transition to civilian life?To some extent that is the point of the film. It doesn't go anywhere in particular, just paints a horrible situation and a humble, determined man pushed to the edge by circumstances. Shot in a cinema verite style so common now, it might even pass for a slight documentary at times, except for some unnecessary flipping between black and white and color. This film won't be for everyone, but it's a strong example of its type, and important for its origin in South America.

colinolmstead I just saw this on HBO in the US tonight. this film grabs you and pulls you along. the cinematography is competent and in no way flashy. but you feel like you are there. you can really empathize with the main character Santiago. this film simply rings true in all its aspects. this is one of the best movies I have seen in years. I don't know much about the actor who portrays Santiago (whether is very brilliant or brilliantly typecast) because I have not seen him in anything else. his performance in this movie was just excellent. frankly there were no weak performances from my perspective. Sounds like I really loved this movie doesn't it? I did.PS: this will quickly be dated but if you are hooked up to adelphia/comcast cable in the US they are listing this movie inexplicably/erroneously as "a day without Mexicans"

gczdr246 I'm a Peruvian person who has been living abroad for two years, and this movie came to me just a while ago. I would have to say that for someone who has not lived in Peru, it would be hard to understand the situations the character goes through, but for people like me who have lived all their life in Peru, and understand what the character is going through, it becomes an amazing experience. Pietro Sibille's interpretation of an ex-military who tries to live a normal life is simply amazing, counting that he had never had a lead before, and bringing realism to the movie. The director took the essence of real life situations and put them on the big screen, making the movie worth watching, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in independent cinema / foreign movies.

vdg Lima, Peru. If you ever been there you will recognize the sad truth about that city: poverty and misery all over. For a movie coming from Peru, I think it was very good, but it cannot stand with international standards: most of the actors were pathetic:) Now, don't understand me wrong, the movie is nice, and I recommend it, BUT is still far away from the Italian neo-realism (It is indeed a neo-realist film..) and WAY far away from the Taxi Driver, that many people compare it with. The streets and the atmosphere from Lima was caught very good on the screen using some black and white images alternating with colored ones, but other than this, don't expect anything spectacular.7/10 - one of the best Peruvian movies.