Country: Argentina / Spain / others
Review: “Sidewalls” starts by making an interesting parallel between the deficient architecture of Buenos Aires and states of mind on people. It depicts the long paths taken by two soul mates, before they finally meet. Martin is a phobic web designer, who is predestined to love Mariana, a depressed girl who's facing a four-year relationship rupture. Before they find each other, other amorous experiences will occur. The unhappiness and frustration that came out from those experiences were well conjugated with common issues of nowadays, such as: technology dependence, sedentary behaviors, and isolation. Debutant filmmaker Gustavo Taretto uses an immutable, unhurried ambiance, to depict loneliness and a bunch of psychological disorders. The dialogues weren’t so interesting, yet the film discoursed elaborated monologues, which tried to help us understand better the characters, the architecture, or the impact of technology on our lives. This particular aspect went through an over-explanatory tone that didn’t always work successfully. Despite its strangled spirit and implausible ending, “Sidewalls” still has its enjoyable moments, intercalated with riveting images of concrete, steel and glass.
