Men of Hard Skin

This is what [usually] happens when you direct, write and produce. When you do too much, you fail to see what is actually going on!

First...the writing. Second...the acting. Both go hand-in-hand, if one is bad, the other follows suit. This is a [sad] case of chicken and egg...not quite sure what is worse, the writing or the acting.

Riddled with clichés...for example, the father takes his [gay] son [Ariel] to a prostitute to 'cure' him...how tired is that one! There's a lipstick scene for no other reason than to say...all gay boys put on make-up...more nonsense. In the middle of nowhere, there's a derelict building that has become the local cruising ground...populated by [practically] every man in the vicinity...those poor women, all their husbands are bonking each other.

And, of course, there's a child abusing priest [two in fact]...and this is where José Celestino Campusano goes so off-the-rails, you can literally hear the train-wreck occurring. He tries to invoke sympathy for a priestly paedophile...what!?!

Okay, okay...it's a bold move...definitely controversial in that the general consensus does not/will not/cannot recognise paedophilia as a [treatable] psychiatric condition...can't blame them...when a child's safety is at risk. Just remember...these 'priests' can be and [usually] are absolved, then moved on into fresher pastures...their victims are stuck with the torment and torture they suffered. Men of god...indeed!

Unfortunately, Señor Campusano has neither the arsenal nor the words to fully thrash out this controversy...if he had, this would have been one hell of a shocker! And...the controversy doesn't stop there...there's Ariel, not the most pleasant of young men, sexually ravenous and considers [his] consent to be his inalienable right. So...the big issue concerning consent, it differs from country to country, is addressed, but not thoroughly explored.

Big issues indeed...given short shrift. On a more positive note: The cinematography is exceptional.

Trailer...

Hombres de piel dura (Men of hard skin) - TRAILER from Compañía de Cine on Vimeo.