Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Juan Pablo De Santiago, Maria Deschamps,
Daniel Gimenez Cach, Pedro Gonzalez, Rebecca
Jones, Martha Claudia Moreno
Written by Gerardo Naranjo
Certification UK 15
Runtime 106 minutes
Directed by Gerardo Naranjo
"What are you rebelling against?" "What have you got?" Teenage rebellion and cinema have been happily unhealthy and gleefully tortured bed partners for some year with mixed results. Some films have been powerful, insightful looks into troubled, juvenile soul; others have had all the effectiveness of a kitten farting in a hurricane. While acclaimed Mexican director Naranjo wavers perilously close to baby cat wind on several occasions here, there's a sense that he's aware of it and is thus celebrating the futile nature of his leads' rebellion.
And what a typically pathetic rebellion it is. The angst-ridden wealthy Roman (de Santiago) is kicked out of his private education and finds himself forced to attend a normal school. His first act? To fake a hanging during a school concert, an act that gets him detention alongside Maru (Deschamps), who's there for applauding the mock suicide. Sensing a kindred spirit, the two come up with a plan to run away, and leave all this bourgeois bullshit behind, away from the shackles of society. Yeah. You go, kids. Stick it to the man...
The catch is that their idyllic retreat is actually the roof terrace at the home of Roman's high-ranking politician father. Yeah. You go kids. Stick it to the man by enjoying the benfits that the man's property gives you. Blithely ignoring the pettiness of their stance (in the manner that only a self-obsessed teen or, indeed, Peaches Geldof could manage), the two explore their sexuality and new found friendship. The cracks appear (inevitably) when they try (inevitably) to expand their safe retreat beyond the secret confines of the roof.
As analyses of teen angst goes, Voy A Explotar is pretty good. Much has been made of its similarity in tone and nature to Godard's Pierrot Le Fou and yes, there is more than a hint of tribute here in Naranjo's camera work and energy. Unfortunately, de Santiago is no Belmondo and is, instead, exactly the sort of teenage pillock you would never, ever tire of punching. That's either perfect casting, brilliant acting or, simply, the major flaw with so many movies of this nature: a deeply unlikeable "hero". Deschamps comes across slightly better, but again the reasons are debatable.Is she a fine actress or just portraying a slightly more sympathetic character? I'd probably plump for the latter more than the former.
Naranjo appears to be someone with talent but the nature of this tale doesn't do him any great favours or bring anything new to the table. All in all, decent enouogh - but ultimately about as effective as most teenage rebellions.