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Sunday, May 4, 2008
6:15 pm
A Stray Girlfriend
When we meet Inés (director/cowriter Ana Katz) and Miguel (Daniel Hendler) they are in the middle of a lovers' row on a public bus headed to their seaside holiday. At first we're unsure if this is a temporary Mars/Venus disconnect or the finale to a less than satisfying long-term liaison. We've all been through it: the relationship is over, but only one partner admits the obvious. While Miguel tries to sleep, Inés sobs, “I can't spend all my life explaining to you what a couple is. I can't spend all my time trying to understand you.” As it turns out, she won't have to. Inés gets off the bus only to find it roaring off with Miguel still on board, leaving her to “stray” on her own. The forlorn Inés meets charming locals, but studiously avoids the kindly advances of a chubby, cupid-like archer (Carlos Portaluppi) who pines for her. The errant girlfriend instead attempts to communicate with her ex-love via a series of aborted phone calls. Katz's portrayal of Inés subtly intimates the psychological condition of a rejected young woman adrift in that limbo of love/hate we've all experienced. Given this young artist's promise-her triple threat as writer, director, and actor-we'll definitely be seeing more of Ana Katz, whose well-observed dry comedy played in Un Certain Regard at Cannes.
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