THE STORY – Four teens as they document their own rowdiness in a hauntingly poetic portrait of violence and loneliness.
THE CAST – Juan Pablo Baena, Samuel Velázquez, Tomás Tinoco Higuita, Samuel Andrés Celis, Brahian Acevedo, Estiven Salazar,Brayan Erlín García, José Arley Marín González & Samuel Ruiz
THE TEAM – Stillz (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 88 Minutes
There’s a special sense of privilege that comes with being able to peer into a community that seems distant from the broader culture. It can sometimes be a rare glimpse into a culture that’s so distant, and even when previous attempts have been made, it’s easy for the representation to feel disingenuous. There are communities in Colombia that have thrived and suffered just like many other areas of the globe; not all of those storytellers who try to bring it to life have the appropriate level of access to justify that interpretation. One certainly has the sense that “Barrio Triste” is infused with a greater passion to imbue itself with this perspective. It embraces the more challenging aspects that have infected these surroundings while also viewing this arena with a hypnotic and mesmerizing aura. For some parts, it is highly effective. For others, it’s laborious terrain to traverse.
Set in the 1980s on the outskirts of Medellín, a group of wandering teenagers happens upon a local news crew reporting on a strange phenomenon: bright lights that have been reported descending from the skies. During the taping, the boys steal the camera and take off back to their own neighborhood. The camera keeps rolling, capturing their actions as they move throughout the day. At first, it sees a harrowing robbery that results in the death of a bystander. Then it drifts through their impoverished neighborhood, showcasing the residents who struggle with their directionless existence. There’s an even further descent into hallucinatory imagery that is meant to comment on just how disposable their lives can amount to. Still, none of that hides away the real trauma that persists and how they fight every day to overcome this despair.
Stillz has previously been established as a prolific music video director, most known for his numerous collaborations with Bad Bunny. Making his directorial debut, he brings a vibrant style to this material. The world as seen through this camera appears old and dated, but somehow this distance makes an even more resonant connection to this environment. A long tracking shot is employed as the boys drive through the neighborhood to pick up one of their friends, all while the radio blasts an interview with an anonymous caller claiming to be a serial killer. The uninterrupted take sets up a labyrinthine journey through the town, and we see its citizens living in poor conditions. But exploitative misery is not the point of this excursion. Stillz has a neorealist approach to embedded oneself within this landscape with an earnest naturalism, despite the stylized aesthetics. The “found footage” aspect doesn’t feel like a gimmick to lower the budget, instead offering a documentary style methodology that works to enhance the surroundings even more. It’s a bold and engrossing vision that highlights the emotional turmoil being suffered by this community without completely drowning in pitiful sorrow.
It is very engaging, that is, until the narrative takes a turn into the surreal at one point and abandons the more observational tone it had before. As the story progresses, the tone shifts to a darker and more imaginative atmosphere, veering more into a horror territory than a simple slice of life perspective that was previously the focal point. The odyssey, as captured by one character who continues to film his entire surroundings, suggests that these odd sightings of lights are connected to the disappearances of many of the residents, which bears another metaphorical connection to the countless lives that are lost to the senseless violence. It’s a fascinating concept, but the visions of small individuals bathed in light and monstrous creatures silhouetted against the night sky are at odds with the more grounded presentation. Honestly, it is nowhere near as absorbing. Harmony Korine serves as a producer, and the tonal shift is much more in line with his latest filmography, which includes “Aggro Drift” and “Baby Invasion.” The back half of this film is not quite as grating, but it still marks a less engrossing aspect of the storytelling that can get tedious very quickly.
Even when the film loses its impact as it becomes weirder, there is still an emotional weight that is deeply felt. This is mostly expressed through several asides, which are interviews being conducted with the group of teenagers. One of them, Juan (Juan Pablo Baena), laments the pain he has endured due to his absent family and how much it has affected his bleak outlook on the world. That sense of being discarded is an underlying theme that drives many of these young men. Their lives are shattered by their circumstances, but the story takes great care to understand the emotional depth that exists within them. It’s not just living in close proximity to crime in an impoverished neighborhood that drives their melancholy. It is the same fissures that would cause any of us to become overwhelmed by unrelenting sadness. The testimonials put a human face to this hardship, and the tearful breakdowns are incredibly captivating in their catharsis.
Sometimes, “Barrio Triste” is an enthralling portrait of young life that examines these social structures in a completely alluring way. Unfortunately, it also indulges in a stranger outlook that utilizes more overt metaphorical explorations, undercutting the impact that the more grounded nature was providing. It’s a deliberate choice to bring a heightened reality to the screen, but one wishes it had stayed true to its earlier convictions. What is presented has layers of intrigue, but the more they get peeled back, the less interesting the final results are. At the same time, what is appreciated is the intent behind this endeavor. The analysis of these lives is characterized by a specific attention to detail, which lends this a more textured understanding. Even if this discussion trades extravagant style for intimate character study, the themes it chooses to elevate are still fascinating.
