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The above is an excerpt from a song by Colombian band Peste Mutantex, which in turn, is a cover of a song by Sex Pistols, which in turn is a cover of Frank Sinatra's song, written by Paul Anka. The song, any version of it, has become some sort of anthem for rebellion or non-conformity (the above Spanish lyrics can be translated to "I can't get no satisfaction; not with drugs nor alcohol, I can't get no reaction"), which is one of the underlying themes of this seminal Colombian film.
Rodrigo D: No Futuro follows the titular character (Ramiro Meneses), a young man growing up amidst the poverty and crime of Medellín, while dreaming to be a drummer. Rodrigo is still reeling from the death of his mother and just can't get his act together. He doesn't work or go to school, he fights constantly with his sister, his relationship with his father is distant (despite the latter's attempts to connect), and he just wanders around the city, hanging out with friends and listening to music.
Of course, Rodrigo's dreams and aspirations are complicated and suffocated by the environment around him. Meneses does a pretty good job conveying that mixture of unhappiness and bottled up restlessness inside him. As it is, the film gave me vibes of Truffaut's The 400 Blows or Meirelles City of God, in how they present kids/teenagers trying to escape the circumstances around them.
The rest of the cast is serviceable, which is good, considering that most of them were not trained actors as far as I know. Gaviria's direction is simple, but effective. The plot is a bit loose, particularly when it shifts its focus to the supporting characters like Rodrigo's friends, which somewhat hinders the effect of the film.
I have to say that the print I saw of the film wasn't very good, and the audio was pretty poor, but overall, I found the film to be fairly moving and tragic. A raw and honest look at a time and place where circumstances constantly nix the future of young men; be it by relegating them to the grind of work to get by, by decimating them through drugs and crime, or simply by keeping their dreams and satisfactions away from them.
Grade:
RODRIGO D: NO FUTURO
(1990, Gaviria)
A film from Colombia
(1990, Gaviria)
A film from Colombia
"♪ Cómo me calmo yo; todo rechazo,
ya no, consigo más, satisfacción; ♫
♫ ya ni con drogas; ni con alcohol;
ya no consigo ninguna reacción ♪"
ya no, consigo más, satisfacción; ♫
♫ ya ni con drogas; ni con alcohol;
ya no consigo ninguna reacción ♪"
The above is an excerpt from a song by Colombian band Peste Mutantex, which in turn, is a cover of a song by Sex Pistols, which in turn is a cover of Frank Sinatra's song, written by Paul Anka. The song, any version of it, has become some sort of anthem for rebellion or non-conformity (the above Spanish lyrics can be translated to "I can't get no satisfaction; not with drugs nor alcohol, I can't get no reaction"), which is one of the underlying themes of this seminal Colombian film.
Rodrigo D: No Futuro follows the titular character (Ramiro Meneses), a young man growing up amidst the poverty and crime of Medellín, while dreaming to be a drummer. Rodrigo is still reeling from the death of his mother and just can't get his act together. He doesn't work or go to school, he fights constantly with his sister, his relationship with his father is distant (despite the latter's attempts to connect), and he just wanders around the city, hanging out with friends and listening to music.
Of course, Rodrigo's dreams and aspirations are complicated and suffocated by the environment around him. Meneses does a pretty good job conveying that mixture of unhappiness and bottled up restlessness inside him. As it is, the film gave me vibes of Truffaut's The 400 Blows or Meirelles City of God, in how they present kids/teenagers trying to escape the circumstances around them.
The rest of the cast is serviceable, which is good, considering that most of them were not trained actors as far as I know. Gaviria's direction is simple, but effective. The plot is a bit loose, particularly when it shifts its focus to the supporting characters like Rodrigo's friends, which somewhat hinders the effect of the film.
I have to say that the print I saw of the film wasn't very good, and the audio was pretty poor, but overall, I found the film to be fairly moving and tragic. A raw and honest look at a time and place where circumstances constantly nix the future of young men; be it by relegating them to the grind of work to get by, by decimating them through drugs and crime, or simply by keeping their dreams and satisfactions away from them.
Grade: