| | | Cupid just turned eight.
Features: DVD, English, Subtitled
Valentin is a precocious and imaginative 8 year old boy raised byhis grandmother who dreams of having a normal family and misseshis mother who abandoned him. When his father visits, valentinasks to meet his girlfriend with the hope she will become hismother. This encounter is an opportunity valentin can't pass up.
Editor's Note
This heart-warmer concerns precocious eight-year-old Valentin (Rodrigo Noya), who lives alone with his grandmother in Buenos Aires in the early 1960s. Longing to be reunited with his absentee mom, Valentin lives with his eccentric grandma (long-time Almodovar star Carmen Maura) and deals with the occasional visits from his reprobate father (director Alejandro Agresti). For solace, Valentin visits a kindly musician (Mex Uritzberea) who urges the boy to hang on to his dream of becoming Argentina's first astronaut. Valentin also develops a bond with Leticia (Juliete Cardinali), one of his dad's young girlfriends. Noya plays his role like a pint-sized blend of Woody Allen, Nanni Moretti, and Audrey Tatou (AMELIE), replete with poignant optimism, wry commentary, and a cupid-like need to play matchmaker for the nicer adults in his life. As engaging as he is, the film gets stolen by the wonderful Cardinali (a TV star in Argentina) who radiates angelic warmth in her too-few scenes. Agresti suffuses the film with well-observed period detail that only hints at the political turmoil of the time (Argentina was in the grip of the infamous "reign of terror" throughout the '60s and '70s). VALENTIN is one of those films that manages to win a viewer's heart without pulling any harsh reality punches.
| Features | Audio: Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Interactive Menus | | Interview With Director | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English | | Theatrical Trailer |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Buena Vista |
| Release Date: 6/7/2005 |
| Running Time: 83 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2004 | | Catalog ID: 37979 | | UPC: 00786936258820 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: Spanish | | Available Audio Tracks: Spanish | | Available Subtitles: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Widescreen 1.85:1 |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | Chicago Sun-Times
"[Noya] looks the part and exudes a touching solemnity." 05/21/2004 p.34 |
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