Competencia Oficial, or Official Competition is a 2021 film directed by Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn. Wikipedia says it’s a comedy but that’s not the case… I wouldn’t know how to describe it but it definitely keeps you on your toes while feeling inept at the same time. Which, honestly, blows my mind.
Let’s get it out of the way: Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, and Oscar Martínez were all so topnotch. Cruz portrayed an eccentric directorial role astoundingly, holding so much restraint and vivacity. Banderas and Martínez played such a great back and forth, creating such a unique yet overplayed dynamic. Being rivals but coworkers, in slow acceptance of each other, yet hoping that each would change.
The film itself was absolutely stunning. The visuals were adjacent to the architecture of the setting—mimicking or complimenting it. There were also so many layers to the film, it became so meta at one point, everything was mirroring everything. The dialogue felt a bit too laced, but then that’s the theatrics of filmmaking that also tried to be reflected, I guess. Overall, it was such a treat and kind of funny how all the characters were pretentious in their own ways… maybe a nod to the industry too, aye?
Maybe an 8.5/10. Something was missing, or overdone. I can’t pinpoint it, but it was a pretty meta film.
