''Lock Charmer'' (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

: ''El cerrajero'') is a 2014 Argentine

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

Natalia Smirnoff Natalia Smirnoff (born 14 May 1972) is an Argentine film director and screenwriter. Her 2010 film ''Puzzle (2010 film), Rompecabezas'' was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival. Filmography * ''Puzzle (201 ...

. The film premiered in-competition in the ''World Cinema Dramatic Competition'' at

2014 Sundance Film Festival The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 16, 2014 until January 26, 2014 in Park City, Utah, United States, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance Resort in Utah. The festival opened with ''Whiplash'' directed by Da ...

on January 21, 2014. The film later premiered at the 2014

Fribourg International Film Festival The Fribourg International Film Festival (FIFF) is an annual film festival in Fribourg, Switzerland. It is focused on selected films from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The Grand Prize is the main award of the Fribourg International Film Festival ...

on March 29, 2014.

Plot

Thirty-three-year-old locksmith, Sebastian doesn't believe in committed relationships. He learns from his recent girlfriend, Monica, that she's pregnant but she isn't sure that he is the father. During the same time, he discovers that whenever he fixes someones locks, he gets a vision into their lives, which reveals their feelings. Soon this power starts to complicate his life. After he warns a maid named Daisy that her boyfriend is stealing from her boss, she leaves her boyfriend, and Sebastian takes her in. But when he sees a vision about his own life, Sebastian is forced to examine every aspect of his life.

Cast

Esteban Lamothe Raúl Esteban Sánchez Lamothe (born 30 April 1977) is an Argentine actor. Biography Esteban Lamothe was born on April 30, 1977, in Florentino Ameghino, Buenos Aires, Argentina. At 17, in 1994, he moved to Federal Capital. He worked until a ...

as Sebastian *

Érica Rivas Érica Rivas (; born 1 December 1974) is an Argentine actress. She gained recognition for playing María Elena Fuseneco in the sitcom '' Casados con hijos'' (2005–2006). Career Rivas was born in Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires Province. She liv ...

as Monica *Yosiria Huaripata as Daisy *

Sergio Boris Sergio Boris is an Argentine film actor. He is best known for his performance in '' Diarios de motocicleta'' (2004) and '' El Abrazo partido'' (2004). Filmography *'' Sólo por hoy'' (2001) aka ''Just for Today'' *'' Animalada'' (2001) aka ''An ...

as Sebastian's father *

Arturo Goetz Arturo L. Goetz (24 June 1944 – 28 July 2014) was an Argentine film actor. He worked in the cinema of Argentina. He studied for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics at Jesus College, Oxford, from 1971 to 1974, and published his findings ...

*María Onetto *Luis Ziembrowski *Germán de Silva *Nahuel Mutti *Claudia Cantero

Reception

''Lock Charmer'' received positive reviews upon its premiere at the

. Geoff Berkshire of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', said in his review that "Natalia Smirnoff's second feature is a wisp of melancholy comedy with a dose of magical realism." Boyd van Hoeij in his review for ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' called the film "A modest but quite charming feature about an Argentinean locksmith who unlocks truths about the lives of his clients." Eric Kohn from ''

Indiewire IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...

'' praised the film by saying that "Measured and never indulgent in its depiction of the plot's mystical ingredients, “Lock Charmer” does a great job at blending two genres and placing them in the strangeness of the 2008 setting" and praised the performances of Lamothe and Huaripata that "Lamothe portrays the locksmith as a man at once perturbed by the behavior of the women in his life and resentful towards his male role model — namely, his estranged father. The natural chemistry between him and Huaripata, as Daisy, matches the efficiency of the movie's direction."

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lock Charmer 2014 films Argentine drama films 2014 drama films 2010s Argentine films