Men of Hard Skin
| Men of Hard Skin | |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Hombres de piel dura |
| Directed by | José Celestino Campusano |
| Written by | José Celestino Campusano |
| Produced by | José Celestino Campusano |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Eric Elizondo |
| Edited by | Horacio Florentín |
| Music by | Claudio Miño |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 96 mins. |
| Country | Argentina |
| Language | Spanish |
Men of Hard Skin (Spanish: Hombres de piel dura) is a 2019 Argentinian LGBTQ+ independent drama film, written and directed by José Celestino Campusano. The film stars Wall Javier and Germán Tarantino. It premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2019, before a limited theatrical release throughout Argentina later that year.[1]
Synopsis
[edit]José Celestino Campusano's exploration of sex, power, and ecclesiastical abuse in Argentine society is a complex and often confrontational piece of work, posing tough questions without resorting to easy answers.
Cast
[edit]- Wall Javier as Ariel
- Germán Tarantino as Omar
- Claudio Medina as Pablo
- Juan Salmeri as Julio
- Camila Diez as Betina
- Sergio Sarria as Ramírez
- Malena Majul Lieun as Zulma
Reception
[edit]María Fernanda Mugica of La Nación lauded the filmmaker: "José Celestino Campusano demonstrates his talent to keep viewers' attention, even when he's making them confront difficult scenes."[2] Derek Winnert of DerekWinnert.com praised the film's boldness: "Deep, dour, dark and disturbing, it is commandingly and intensely well done, but not for the faint-hearted and most people, maybe everybody, will want to turn away."[3]
Ben Turner of The Pink Lens derided the film for its penchant for shock value: "A controversial film that is trying a little too hard to shock, this certainly isn't pleasant viewing for a Friday night in."[4] Josefina Sartora of Otrocines concurred: "The story is crude and obvious, with no subtleties."[5] Gaspar Zimerman of Clarín chided the acting: "Most of the cast's lack of experience is evidenced by memorized speeches spoken in an almost scholarly way, without any intonation."[6]
Dave Hall of Gay Celluloid opined the missed opportunity: "The result is a work laced with a number of narrative turns that do nothing for the film, other than add to its running time, having wasted its potential to be a meaningful cinematic testament to the ramifications on those subjected to sexual abuse by those who preach the word of God, but habitually seek absolution for their sins. Enough said."[7]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Men of Hard Skin". Rotten Tomatoes. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Mugica, María Fernanda (8 August 2019). "Men with tough skin: lives marked by violence". La Nación. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Winnert, Derek (28 August 2025). "Hombres de Piel Dura [Men of Hard Skin] *** (2019, Wall Javier, Germán Tarantino, Claudio Medina) – Classic Movie Review 13,696". DerekWinnert. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Turner, Ben (3 October 2019). "Men of Hard Skin". The Pink Lens. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Sartora, Josefina (9 August 2019). "Crítica de Hombres de piel dura, de José Celestino Campusano". Otrocines. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Zimerman, Gaspar (19 August 2019). "Review of Men of Tough Skin: A field with double standards". Clarín. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Hall, Dave (14 April 2022). "The ramifications of sexual abuse by those who preach the word of God". Gay Celluloid. Retrieved 23 September 2026.