VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Our Lady of the Assassins (2001)
Director: Barbet Schroeder
QQQ1/2
This digital video entry from director Barbet Schroeder is a curiosity -- sometimes haunting and poignant and other times far-fetched and frustrating. German Jaramillo stars as a middle-aged writer who, upon returning to his Colombian childhood home, strikes up an unusual romance with Anderson Ballesteros, a seemingly conscienceless teen-age gang member. Putting aside the considerable age difference, their relationship still seems unlikely, which isn't helped by Ballesteros' stilted acting. But Schroeder manages to create impressive imagery with the digital format, and it gives the film an almost news-feed feel that makes the implausible action all the more believable. The movie is rated R with no DVD extras.