Juan "Coco" Villegas is down on his luck; he's lost his job as a mechanic when the Gas station where he's worked for twenty years is sold to a new company. Economically things are quite poor in his native Argentina, so he tries to make money selling his beautifully handcrafted knives - but to no avail. His luck changes for the better when he comes across a girl whose car has broken down. He offers to fix it, towing her to her family home and leaving a few hours later with a dog who he calls "le chien". But this is not just any dog, this one is special.

Carlos Sorín's Bombon. El perro is a slow paced, sweet drama that centres around the relationship between one man and his dog. Juan Villegas, who plays himself, is an amiable, good natured man who finds it hard to see the bad in anyone, and just wants to live a quiet life. As he shares a house with his highly strung daughter, her non-responsive husband, and their three kids, the dog provides a welcome distraction for him. He hooks up with Walter Dondas, who also plays himself, a champion dog trainer who sees the potiential in "Le chien". It's a partnership that works well, but all is not what they expected it to be with Coco's special dog.

The story is simple but Sorín's technique makes it special. 70% of the film consists of close up shots of the characters' faces, which gives you a "what's going to happen next" feeling that keeps you in your seat. It's a nice, cleverly worked film that leaves you with a smile on your face. Definitely worth a look.

Rated 12A (see IFCO website for details)
Bombón. El Perro is released on 8th July 2005.