Absolutely Brilliant!

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

If you enjoy the beauty of well-crafted post-production visual effects lulling you to a hypnotic stupor, then this is the undemanding film for you. If not, you could also catch up on your email while pretending to watch it. Either way, you know that a talented After Effects artist made a day-rate to slap on all the aesthetic milestones of the late 90s - from jittery faux 8MM to film burn, dust and plenty of noise.As if spawn from Gus Van Sant's forehead, this movie follows attractive faux-teens around as they awkwardly attempt to converse through unscripted dialogue. On the plus side, all of these 20-somethings are talented actors, and they push through this sorry morass of nothing like knives through hot, buttery glue. On the other hand, like sailing through a sea of mucilaginous kreplach, it takes just short of forever to putter through to something like a narrative conclusion. But make no mistake - the termination of what passes for a story in "Glue" is not a climax, but more of a but an exhausted collapse. With little in the way of dialogue to pollute the vacuum of story in this movie, it's a wonder any of the actors didn't fall to its toxic tediousness.

I really didn't want to dis this movie, because the acting/directing was great and the movie does succeed in capturing the teenage vibe, despite the male actors look a little older than 16 to me (still very cute though).What makes me rate it a 4 is the total absence of a script. There is no depth of characters, no character development, no conflict. I don't mind experimental storytelling as long as I'm engaged and care for the characters. You don't in this movie and I found myself thinking like scandojazzbuff - wake me up when it's over.The Gus Van Sant style rather annoyed than impressed me - that's how all alternative coming of age movies look like.It seems to me many film makers want to both write and direct their movies. If you're not Woody Allen and can pull it off, maybe it would be a good idea to use that old thing called a scriptwriter.

I attended the North American premiere of "Glue" at the Toronto International Film Festival. In a phrase, it's Larry Clark meets Gus Van Sant. But I say that in only the most complimentary of terms. The camera basically follows a 15-year old as he discovers himself. He wonders about his physical development, compares himself to his buddy, and begins to explore his sexuality. The barren expanse of Patagonia is the backdrop, the music of The Violent Femmes (who donated the songs gratis) the appropriately angst-ridden soundtrack.What makes it so different from most American films is that it's all just so natural. No judgments are made. We only observe through the lens of cinematographer Natasha Braier, as well as writer/director/producer Alexis Dos Santos, who did much of the camera-work himself. It's basically about mid-adolescence told, via voice-over, from the point of view of Lucas (Nahuel Perez Biscayart). Most amazingly, the entire film is improvised. Dos Santos held a Q&A afterward and said that he wrote virtually no dialog at all. There was a 17-page script basically outlining the action. But the three lead actors improvised from start to finish. As it turns out, all three had attended the same acting classes where they learned improv, so they were well-versed in the art and were already friends. And it shows. The chemistry between the teens evokes those awkward years as effectively as any film I've seen.I asked Nahuel what his most difficult scene was and what was his favorite. I won't get too specific, but he most enjoyed some of the more physical aspects of the relationships he develops with his friends. He was quite honest and his matter-of-fact attitude was endearing. I met him afterward and he was polite and self-confident. When I walked up and told him what a good job he did, he thanked me with the look of a pro. He is from Argentina but speaks decent English. In spite of his young age, he has done 9 films and is something of a teen idol in South America. In the States he'd likely be one of the most sought-after young actors in the business.If coming-of-age films have become a bit worn in the hands of Hollywood, "Glue" will serve as inspiration and provocation to American filmmakers. It's Larry Clark in Spanish. But sweet and non-judgmental. It will leave you with a smile on your face.

I've recently seen this movie at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this movie.Glue is a movie about Lucas, a fifteen year old boy living in a desert town in Patagonia ( Argentina) and his friends Nacho and Andrea. Lucas' parents' relationship is pretty unstable, but he doesn't want to be confronted with it. So he decides to spend his time hanging out with his friends, just talking about life and experimenting with drugs and sex.Glue is a beautiful film about coming of age in the windy, desert-like outskirts of Patagonia. This movie is filmed with a very low budget and is very minimalistic, but it nevertheless succeeds to present very beautifully shot images in which we are granted a peek into the life of teenagers growing up. All the major themes are represented: Love, sex, drugs and music. This movie presents a universally identifiable view on teenagers.If you have also seen this movie and enjoyed it, I recommend watching 'temporada de patos'. It is like a lighter version of this movie.