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Horacio Camandule, Leonor Svarcas, Néstor Guzzini, Federico García, Fabiana Charlo ... see more see more... , Ernesto Liotti , Diego Artucio , Carlos Lissardy , Fernando Alonso , Ariel Cardarelli , Esteban Lago , Nacho Mendy , Augusto Peloso , Rafael Sosa Zeballos , Ignacio Alcuri , Ariel Caldarelli , Andrés Gallo

A supermarket security guard forms a powerful fixation on the pretty cleaning woman who scrubs the aisles during the graveyard shift in this deeply personal tale of obsession and voyeurism from first-... read more read more...time feature filmmaker Adrian Biniez. When the sun goes down, Jara (Horacio Camandule) clocks in to monitor the security cameras at a suburban Montevideo supermarket. The job can be pretty dull at times, so in order to keep himself occupied, Jara often passes the time watching videos, doing crossword puzzles, and playing music. One night, as Jara glances at the monitors, pretty cleaning woman Julia (Leonor Svarcas) wanders into frame and the portly security guard is immediately transfixed. With each passing day, Jara's fixation on Julia grows stronger, to the point where he eventually begins following her outside of work, as well. Before long, Jara's entire life is centered on Julia's daily routine; he watches as she lounges on the beach, goes to a movie, and even as she meets with another man. When rumors of layoffs begin circulating around the supermarket and Jara discovers that Julia is one of the workers about to be handed her walking papers, the smitten security guard must choose between letting go of his obsession and laying bare his suppressed feelings for the object of his affections, or remaining silent and letting his one chance at happiness slip away. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

63% liked it

432 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

16 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: Adrián Biniez

Release Date: December 4, 2009

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DVD Release Date: February 9, 2010

Stats: 76 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (76)

  • gator681
    March 2, 2011
    gator681
    In his spare time, Jara(Horacio Camandule) babysits his nephew Matias(Federico Garcia). Actually, it's more like they just hang out and play video games together.(Just don't tell anyone.) For work, he is a night watchman at a supermarket where he keeps a dispassionate eye on th... read moree shenanigans of his co-workers. Nor does he ogle any of the women. At first, he laughs when Julia(Leonor Svarcas), a new cleaning lady, knocks over a display of toilet paper but feels empathy for her after she is severely scolded by Rojas(Augusto Peloso), a manager, going so far as to run interference for her.

    With fluid camerawork that is in no hurry(especially the lovely final shot), "Gigante" takes what could have been a creepy or condescending premise and turns it around into something heartwarming. A lot of that has to do with the sweet demeanor of its lead character who acts as more of a guardian angel than anything else to Julia. While he moonlights as a bouncer, violence does not come easily to him.(Even as a pacifist, I have no problem with how he reacts to the driver.) So while Jara thinks the best of people, he also ignores the growing labor conflict at work, as sometimes he is enmeshed in fantasy, the movie also oddly enough having its share of cold war references like the bar being called Molotov and the occasional familiar guitar chords, the soundtrack to a world he would like to live in.
  • fb1144932598
    March 19, 2010
    fb1144932598
    A quiet, slow-paced tale of a gentle giant who becomes obsessed with a girl at work. Jara (Horacio Camadule) is a night shift security guard for a giant supermarket who begins stalking one of the cleaning ladies, Julia (Leonor Svarcas). She may not be â??hotâ?? but she is pleasan... read moret to look at and obviously the best thing heâ??s seen in a while, and she does have a wonderful smile. There is little dialog, and Jaraâ??s inability to take the initiative can grate on oneâ??s nerves. As someone said, the viewer almost wants to reach through the screen and slap the guy. â??So TALK to her already!â?? But really, the film doesnâ??t pull any punches. It is what it is and you will either find yourself invested and waiting (and waiting) to see how it plays out, or you will tire and move on to other things. This viewer is happy he made the investment and was rewarded with a sweet, plausible outcome. Not recommended for Bruce Willis/Arnold Schwarzenegger/Sylvester Stallone fans. If you like it low-key, however, this is your film.
  • brunolot1
    March 31, 2012
    brunolot1
    Interesting kind of love story. Creepy in a certain way by American standards. Not so many dialogues. Almost none to be honest.
  • teremuso
    November 26, 2010
    teremuso
    Absolutely brilliant!! The only thing I knew about this film when I picked it out, was that it had won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, so I had no expectations, just hopes. "Gigante" did not let me down.

    I loved the dark/dry humor that you catch glimp... read moreses of through its minimal dialogue, which keeps you guessing about how this quirky love story will unfold. Don't let the film's slow-pace fool you though... this story was like a puzzle I was dying to solve, so I payed close attention to the clues that get sprinkled throughout; I was never bored and the comical bombs that are dropped every now and again definitely keep you alert and entertained. I loved this film!
  • GabrielKnight
    November 21, 2010
    GabrielKnight
    A solid movie, the plot is rather simple but works perfectly well, great directing and acting. I was really moved by the story.

View All Gigante Reviews

Critic Reviews

Michael Phillips
January 21, 2010
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

As with the recent Chilean comedy The Maid, Gigante is a sharply acted piece that presents to the audience several forks in the road by which the main character could choose either to escalate matters... Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 21, 2010
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Going to the movies is, at some level, pure voyeurism -- if they involve people, that is. Transformers don't count. I admire films that consist only or in large part of watching. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
January 1, 2010
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

In his feature debut, Biniez could easily be setting in motion a familiar, suspenseful stalker thriller, but thankfully he is much more concerned with exploring the workings of the human heart with a ... Full Review

Joe Neumaier
December 4, 2009
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

A spin on all the recent films utilizing video and found footage, this comedy from Uruguay has more than a few sweet, well-observed moments. Full Review

Stephen Holden
December 4, 2009
Stephen Holden, New York Times

An appealing, gently comedic prologue to a love story. Full Review

Nick Pinkerton
December 2, 2009
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice

With potentially lethargic materials, Biniez has made a quiet, intent, involving film, a moony-innocent urban alienation fairy tale of bashful ogre and village beauty--and it never quite crests. Full Review

Sean Axmaker
March 25, 2010
Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com

This is a small film with a big heart, filled with quirky details and likable characters. Full Review

Amber Wilkinson
March 24, 2010
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film

Engagement with this film requires patience and hinges on the performance of Camandule. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
February 24, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Well-conceived but slight character study of a voyeur we could empathize with. Full Review

Avi Offer
December 6, 2009
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

A quietly engrossing, refreshingly unconventional love story balanced with just the right amount of gentle humor, warmth and subtle charm. Full Review

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