Wild Tales

Damián Szifron tells in his thriller comedy “Wild Tales” several episodes that have one thing in common. They show man as a ticking time bomb that will one day explode. For example, there are passengers on an airplane who have to share the flight with a man who still has an invoice with them. In another episode, Szifron tells the story of two men engaged in a furious duel on a country road. The third segment is about a waitress who reunites with the loan shark in the restaurant that caused her father to commit suicide.

In the fourth story, an explosives expert defends himself against arbitrary bureaucracy and is soon celebrated as a hero despite the loss of a family. The fifth episode is about bribery to bail out a businessman’s son who escaped from driving. In the final story, a bride finds out about her unfaithful husband at her own wedding.
With “Wild Tales” Damián Szifron (” Tiempo de valientes “) has directed a macabre film about the abysses of man, mixing thriller with elements of comedy. The Argentinian director’s role model is Pedro Almodóvar, who is also known for films that use genre cinema to paint a disillusioning image of society. Almodóvar served as producer on “Wild Tales” which led some critics to draw parallels between his films and Szifron’s third feature film.

The comparison may seem far-fetched to others, but one thing cannot be denied. Both Szifron and Almodóvar managed to make uncomfortable topics accessible to the masses. Szifron’s bitterly angry tragic comedy even surpassed Juan José Campanella’s thriller ” In Your Eyes ” as the most successful Argentinian film of all time with well over three million moviegoers.

• Wild Tales