Click to read the article
Vengo (2001)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted: 37
Fresh: 23
Rotten:14
Average Rating: 5.7/10
Runtime: 90 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Celebrating the art of flamenco dancing and the culture from which it was born, VENGO is about a centuries-old dispute between two gypsy families in Andalusia, Spain. Separated into two groups of constantly battling gangs, the families... Celebrating the art of flamenco dancing and the culture from which it was born, VENGO is about a centuries-old dispute between two gypsy families in Andalusia, Spain. Separated into two groups of constantly battling gangs, the families struggle to move beyond violence to overcome their misunderstandings. Between confrontations, a physically disabled young man, Diego (Orestes Villasan Rodriguez), who has a passion for flamenco music and dance, is entertained by his uncle, Caco (Antonio Canales). Caco, whose own daughter died young, treats Diego like a son. To nurture Diego's love of flamenco, Caco arranges for some of the top performers in the region to come give concerts. In an especially powerful scene, La Caita, a gypsy singer, wails her liberating anthems in a Seville restaurant. Tony Gatlif (LATCHO DROM, GADJO DILO) directs this culturally rich, soulful film, which uses the rapid tempo of flamenco percussion to express both happiness and pain. A jumping, unsteady camera, and an often blurry focus give VENGO a visually realistic, documentary feeling. Extreme close-ups draw viewers to the characters, while distanced shots of eclectic parties and performances push the viewer back away from the action reinforcing the awe and admiration that spectators enjoy. It is also interesting to note that the lead actor, Antonio Canales, who is an accomplished flamenco dancer in real life, does not dance in the film. [More]
Starring: Antonio Canales, Orestes Villasan Rodriguez, Antonio Perez Dechent, Bobote
Starring: Antonio Canales, Orestes Villasan Rodriguez, Antonio Perez Dechent, Bobote, Juan Luis Corrientes, Fernando Guerrero Rebollo, Francisco Chavero Rios, Jose Ramirez El Cheli, Juan-Luis Barrios Llorente
Director: Tony Gatlif
Director: Tony Gatlif
Screenwriter: David Trueba, Tony Gatlif
Studio: Cowboy Pictures
Reviews for Vengo
An often soul-stirring experience showcasing some of the best flamenco artists in the world.
As good as the music is, the overall film only suggests what a flamenco drama might be, leaving the viewer hungry for a more fulfilling realization of the concept.
It is flamenco that shapes and forms this film, leading it several intricate steps beyond ordinary.
The combination of drama and music gives the film a stop-and-go quality, like a mixture of documentary and fiction.
While the film isn't perfect, it nonetheless captures the dangerously emotional world of both flamenco music and the Spanish Gypsies who use it to stave off the inevitable vagaries of Romany life.
Filled with dazzling moments, Vengo never quite reaches the heights those moments promise.
Feels like a song you may have heard before, but one whose aching beauty makes it endlessly listenable.
With its compulsive beat of drums, guitars and feet, the sometimes Moorish wailings, the lyrics of startling conviction (typical: 'My soul, it hurts so bad'), Vengo has all the fire it needs.
Related Forums for Vengo
by: jads 7/18/06
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| Sex and the City - The… | |
| Leatherheads | |
| Baby Mama | |
| Made of Honor | |
| Deception |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| You Don't Mess with the Zohan | |
| The Happening | |
| Paranoid Park | |
| The Visitor | |
| Stuck |

Top Critic


