TWO CRIMES

DOS CRIMENES

Director Robert Sneider / 1994 / Mexico

3 5mm/Co 1/1994/1 lOmins

Like 'Water For ChocolaTe meets El Mariachi in Dos Crimenes, Roberto Sneider's elegant tale of deception In small town Mexico. Like its central character Marcos, a dashing but mild-mannered big smoke architect, this is a film that's a lot smarter (and funnier) than it looks.

Marcos flees Mexico City after being wrongly accused of a murder. Hiding out in Muerdago, the village where his wealthy, elderly and ailing Uncle Ramon lives, Marcos becomes entangled in the nefarious goings on amongst his relatives who are dutifully hanging about but already making plans for carving up the old man's estate. Marcos may not be that smart but he knows a cash cow when he sees it and begins a little surreptitious scheming of his own. As well as threatening their interests, Marcos makes the villagers realise that excitement and romance have been missing from their lives.

Two Crimes is based on the sardonic and drily humorous novel by Jorge Ibarguengoitia and is perfectly transposed to the screen. A razor sharp black comedy that stretches the definition of new Mexican cinema to include a whole new kind of devastating Latin wit. With impeccable performances, comical comp­lications and titillating twists, Roberto Sneider has fashioned a warm and generous look at the way Mexicans view, and laugh at, themselves. Two Crimes was the recipient of three Mexican Ariels', the south of the border 'Oscar', as well as Best Film Award at the prestigious Festival of the Three Continents in Nantes, France.

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