Two bank employees, Román and Morán, question their routines and their daily lives. One of them finds a solution: commit a crime. Somehow, he succeeds and extends his fate to his partner. This le...
The first half of writer / director Rodrigo Moreno‘s “The Delinquents” is executed so well that I have a tendency to overlook the dreadfully dull second half, which in all fairness almost completely balances out the ridiculously bloated (and borderline obnoxious) 3-hour-long runtime. I realize my opening comment does very little to sell this leisurely, rambling, and unfocused film to viewers, but the final product is so well made, beautifully shot, and interesting that it’s worth sticking it out for the long haul.
Morán (Daniel Elías) is employed at a Buenos Aires bank, and he’s sinking under the weight of his mundane office job. Bored and unhappy with his job, the man dreams up a scheme to finally liberate himself from his monotonous corporate routine. Morán has assured himself that things will get better once he steals enough money to ensure a comfortable retirement, but first he has to convince co-worker Román (Esteban Bigliardi) to serve as an accomplice. The plan? Take the money, confess, and serve time in prison while his cohort hides the cash until his eventual released. Once free, Morán will meet up with Román to split the dough.
It’s a great story for a heist film, but Moreno takes his story in several (perhaps too many) different directions. There’s a love story with a mysterious woman (Margarita Molfino) that slows the pacing significantly, so much so that it lost me at times. The early portion of the film is great, though, as Moreno takes us through the mundane grind that is ordinary life. With deadpan humor and an observational style that’s peppered with an existential twist, he guides his story of living the ultimate dream of never having to work again into territory that is surreal, awkward, and very, very strange.
There are numerous subplots that can feel pointless, which is frustrating. The narrative meanders to places that have little significance to or no consequence on the story. Moreno takes a lot of detours along the way, including a love story that eats up a good chunk of the film’s second half (it’s by far the slowest and least compelling part of the story). The movie defies all genres, but comes closest to a heist film — sort of.
I will warn you upfront that the ambiguous ending is an unsatisfying letdown, but this is a film without many clear answers. It’s an exercise in open interpretation, as Moreno lets viewers make their own assumptions. All of this combines to make “The Delinquents” a patience-tester in the greatest sense. This is a film about the journey rather than the final destination.
