A Red Bear

Adrián Caetano's 2002 Argentine film follows a man just out of prison. When Oso returns after years served for armed robbery and homicide, his wife is living with someone else and his daughter does not know him. What he is after is unclear: a family, the money still owed him from the old job, or simply a place in his daughter's life. The film does not explain and barely lets him speak; the story advances through looks, silent movement and decisions taken one at a time. The outskirts of Buenos Aires carry the weight of the economic crisis, and crime stands here not as adventure but as the only option left. Julio Chávez's performance carries the whole thing. Who it's for: viewers who like Argentine new cinema and quiet crime drama. Who it's not for: anyone expecting an action-driven heist film; the violence is brief and rare.