Reviews (3)

UNUSUAL SATIRE....
Odd satire on voyeurism (?) that has film student Virginia (Maria Rojo) wrapping up her film studies class with a video project that will require another person. She gets former boyfriend Marcelo (Jose Alonso) to come over for a drink and to talk. She plans on using him as an "experiment" in the project. She tries to seduce him but he discovers the camera, gets angry and leaves but returns later and agrees to help her. They get naked and have sex for the video project. "Homework" takes place on one set and from the angle of Virginia's camera. It's a two-person character study that turns out in the end not to be what it appears at all. The sex is lengthy and explicit and designed to turn you on (it takes place in a hammock) setting up the viewer for the twist at the end. The first part of the film is a tease as to when the clothes come off (especially with Alonso) and when they finally do you feel you are peeping in someones' window. Virginia explains to the camera what her project is supposed to be about and why she's doing it. But the end leaves you feeling that this has been about something different altogether...role reversal? Exhibitionism? Voyeurism? or a woman determined to find herself over and over until she gets it right? I'm not sure but it's well acted by the two leads and one hell of a sexy movie.

Dazzling
This film is amazing. The plot is rather simple: a nameless woman hides a video camera under her living-room table and invites a male friend over. The idea is to seduce him, capture the whole thing on videotape and use the results as her term project for her cinema course.

As the film progresses, both characters show more (and often unexpected sides) of themselves. For a good bit of the film, the camera (which at that point is, remember, hidden under a table) can only capture voices and the movements of their feet. The power of the actors' body language is quite remarkable and the idea is odd enough to make this part of the film quite amusing. A lot is left to the imagination: you see the couple move closer and edge apart. There are embarrassing silences, there are moments of tension, of silent understanding.

The film progresses glibly between eroticism, comedy, pathos, suspense and more. As the characters become more rounded, the relationship between them changes, as does the nature of the film. This is basically a film about different sorts of relationships. And it's a pretty good rollercoaster ride, with a twist ending to cap it all off. I've never seen so much done with two actors and a fixed camera. It's cinema at its purest.

Whether you are a devotee of foreign film or are simply wondering what to do with your videocam now you've shot your sister's wedding, this is a wonderful film.

Daring yet innovating and insightful.
La Tarea is a daring film from the new wave of Mexican Cinema. Unfortunately for movie lovers in this country we haven't been exposed to these films. Maria Rojo is fabulous along with her co-star Jose Alonzo. The Blair Witch Project could only wish to be THIS original! This movie is definitely only for an adult audience due to the nudity and adult content, yet it is carried out in a very tasteful matter. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nothing Happens In This Movie.
I went totally crazy over this movie when I saw the cover and I paid the full retail price. The idea of a young teanage boy having a relationship with a middle age Latina is something that makes me very interested. But, what happens in this movie is this--after wasting time for an hour, they finally get down to business. The couple make out and have sex. But, do we get to see it...? Answer. No! They do it first under a thick dirty plastic cover, which gives you only shadows. Then they do it outside the cover, and we get to see a shot of their faces as they moan. Are you kidding me?...I had exected some bold Mexican movie, like "Sex and Lucia," where you get some real action. This, however, is whimpy, stupid, soap opera stuff. A waste of talent, money, and resources. Need I say more? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Doña Herlinda is a delightfully singular movie character, a doting widow who wants it all--a happy son, grandchildren, and the respect of her neighbor--and quietly, lovingly manipulates the world around her to get it. Her devoted son, Rodolfo, is gay, but that's no problem: she practically adopts Ramon, his young lover, and even moves him into their house ("Rodolfo's bedroom is big," she smiles with convincing innocence) while simultaneously arranging for Ramon's marriage. Writer-director Jaime Humberto Hermosillo has nothing but respect for his characters, especially Guadalupe Del Toro's sweet and sly Doña Herlinda, a woman who projects naïve innocence while determinedly stage-managing her unconventional family unit. In other hands this might be a recipe for tragedy, but Hermosillo spins it into a lovingly subversive comedy of tolerance, acceptance, and keeping up appearances. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

4 Stars for Movie, 1 Star for POOR QUALITY DVD
The incredibly poor and careless copying of this charming movie to DVD by Vanguard Cinema prompts me to suggest that ANY video version, even an old and faded one, is preferable. The DVD's color quality is mediocre and looks like a second or third generation video dubbing to DVD, but it is not. I know this because you can even see the film reel run out at the end following the titles. This is hardly a surprise considering everything else about this DVD! There are glitches and jumps in the picture throughout. There are dropouts and clicks in the sound throughout. And the subtitles -- the new subtitles in English (unremovable, I might add) were typed by someone totally unfamiliar with English punctuation, who never heard of an apostrophe and is doubtful about the use of question marks, commas, exclamation points, etc. The DVD version is an insult to everyone involved in the making of this 1985 Mexican comedy about a conniving mother's plans to keep her gay son happy by first, moving his lover into their home, and second, promoting a marriage for her son so that she may have grandchildren. It takes the idea of "extended family" to a new dimension. The characters (and actors who portray them) are all very attractive and likeable. To me, the one thing lacking is that the filmmaker (or writer) never deals with the bride's awareness or lack of awareness to the situation into which she marries. And she's not a stupid woman. She's a clear-headed feminist who works to promote Amnesty International, yet seems strangely dense when it comes to her married life, other than to note (to her husband's male lover) that her husband is "a male chauvinist".

Life in Mexico
I lived in Guadalajara--in fact I came out in Guadalajara. Mexico oozes sexuality from its every pore and yet the sexual restrictions in the country are tremendous and probably contribute to the enormous amount of homosexuality that exists. A single man, especially a professional, will not succeed in Mexico unless he is married and that creates the enormous "bisexual" population which is really gay men married to "tapar el ojo al macho." It is foreign to the American experience; two men living together is still groundbreaking in Mexico. This movie captures every gay Mexican male's fantasy: a mother who not only accepts her son's gayness but moves the earth and a bit of heaven too so that her son can be properly married and have his lover at hand. It is sly and cunning and it is delicious. If you know Mexico you know how subversive this film was. And it continues to be. It is not a relic--homosexual habits change slowly in Mexico. And Dona Herlinda does not "ignore" her son making out with his lover in the garden when she brings them lemonade. He is doing exactly what she expects him to be doing and her blithe offer of lemonade as though they were reading books is bitingly hilarious. You do not have to live in Mexico to appreciate the almost black humor of this film which was made in the 80's when WE in the US were still watching Sly and Ahnuld collect sweat on their pecs. Imagine a land where homosexual behavior can be so repressed and then a film like this comes along and sticks its finger in society's eye. Spectacular in concept and execution.

Relic of another era
From Mexico and released in 1985 Donna Herlinda lives with her Doctor son. Doctor son is having a passionate affair with a Ramon, a much younger music student. Donna and Ramon click and mama suggests that Ramon come live with them since his rooming house is a dump and they have plenty of room. The boys can share a room! It's bliss until sonny boy makes good and finally becomes engaged and marries a proper woman. Mama says, don't worry, we will all live together and I will have an addition put on the house. Doc gets to have his cake and eat it to. The end.
I am sure that this was a very daring film for it's day, 1985. But to me it came across as a sad relic of another era. The mother totally ignores her sons homosexuality, even after catching them making out in the back yard. Decent people don't acknowledge such things! Ramon loves the Doc but accepts the fact that they will never have a real relationship and after some doubt, actually agrees to the living arrangement that his him living in the same house as his lover and his wife and child. Every now and then he and the Doc can sneak off and 'do the nasty' but mums the word! Yew. Pathetic.

A charming Mexican Romantic Comedy
Anyone who has any familarity with Mexican culture will immediately identify with this movie. The son who does his mother's bidding no matter what. The young woman who marries to escape the constrictions of the family. The closeted nature of gay life in Mexico. The mother who works to make sure her son is happy as well as presents the proper appearance in society. Someone from the United States might wonder what all the fuss is about. But the movie touches on the Mexican world view and gay people in a compassionate manner for the time. A good training manual for any gringo who decides to involve himself with a Mexican male.

Good film - poor dvd
This strange and unconventional film is refreshing in its honesty. It is the story of a controlling mother who makes life happy for everyone by moving in her gay son's lover to live with them yet also arranging a heterosexual marriage for him so that she can have grandchildren! The refreshing aspect of the film is that the situations are presented naturally and without pretext. Even the gay sex scenes are playfully done (although not explicit), something you would rarely see in an American film. It is a funny and entertaining film, well acted and directed, and an interesting depiction of South American culture and home life.

Now for the bad news - the dvd is poorly presented. It's obvious that no digital enhancement was done. It resembles an old tv episode with dark shadows, bleeding colors and the picture is extremely soft. It is shown in full screen format (it was probably filmed that way, although I can't be sure). But worst of all, the sub-titles are atrocious! They appear only as the characters are speaking and, as the Spanish language is spoken fast, there are many instances when the text appears so ridiculously quick that you don't have time to read it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The misterious ways of human attraction
Watching this film, it would be like going to a therapist and have an enlightening experience in human relations, identity, and sexuality. This is the story of an adventurous man and a repressed woman in a rural location somewhere in Mexico. Berenice, the main character, portrays an extraordinary cool woman controlled by her stingy godmother, subordinated by her status as a widower, limited by her insignificant salary from her educational career, abandoned in a narrow minded town, and disrupted of the benefits of living her life to the fullest. She is the epitome of so many people in many eras, not only women, repressed by so many factors in Mexican society, and others as well. She is an adult woman inside of a glass box that eventually will be broken and Berenice will breath again. This film allows us to see her life from the secret window of the voyeuristic eye. It is mysterious, sensual, and dramatic. It was great! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

UNUSUAL SATIRE....
Odd satire on voyeurism (?) that has film student Virginia (Maria Rojo) wrapping up her film studies class with a video project that will require another person. She gets former boyfriend Marcelo (Jose Alonso) to come over for a drink and to talk. She plans on using him as an "experiment" in the project. She tries to seduce him but he discovers the camera, gets angry and leaves but returns later and agrees to help her. They get naked and have sex for the video project. "Homework" takes place on one set and from the angle of Virginia's camera. It's a two-person character study that turns out in the end not to be what it appears at all. The sex is lengthy and explicit and designed to turn you on (it takes place in a hammock) setting up the viewer for the twist at the end. The first part of the film is a tease as to when the clothes come off (especially with Alonso) and when they finally do you feel you are peeping in someones' window. Virginia explains to the camera what her project is supposed to be about and why she's doing it. But the end leaves you feeling that this has been about something different altogether...role reversal? Exhibitionism? Voyeurism? or a woman determined to find herself over and over until she gets it right? I'm not sure but it's well acted by the two leads and one hell of a sexy movie.

Dazzling
This film is amazing. The plot is rather simple: a nameless woman hides a video camera under her living-room table and invites a male friend over. The idea is to seduce him, capture the whole thing on videotape and use the results as her term project for her cinema course.

As the film progresses, both characters show more (and often unexpected sides) of themselves. For a good bit of the film, the camera (which at that point is, remember, hidden under a table) can only capture voices and the movements of their feet. The power of the actors' body language is quite remarkable and the idea is odd enough to make this part of the film quite amusing. A lot is left to the imagination: you see the couple move closer and edge apart. There are embarrassing silences, there are moments of tension, of silent understanding.

The film progresses glibly between eroticism, comedy, pathos, suspense and more. As the characters become more rounded, the relationship between them changes, as does the nature of the film. This is basically a film about different sorts of relationships. And it's a pretty good rollercoaster ride, with a twist ending to cap it all off. I've never seen so much done with two actors and a fixed camera. It's cinema at its purest.

Whether you are a devotee of foreign film or are simply wondering what to do with your videocam now you've shot your sister's wedding, this is a wonderful film.

Daring yet innovating and insightful.
La Tarea is a daring film from the new wave of Mexican Cinema. Unfortunately for movie lovers in this country we haven't been exposed to these films. Maria Rojo is fabulous along with her co-star Jose Alonzo. The Blair Witch Project could only wish to be THIS original! This movie is definitely only for an adult audience due to the nudity and adult content, yet it is carried out in a very tasteful matter. ... Read more

Description

An adventure-comedy that follows two grade-school kids who cut class to go to a matinee. Through an unexpected turn of events, the boys end up with a gang of thieves, and are well on their way to an adventure greater than anything they missed at the matinee. Una aventura cómica en la que dos niños se escapan de la escuela para irse a una matinée. En una serie de eventos inesperados, los niños acaban uniéndose a una banda de ladrones y pronto están gozando de una aventura mucho mayor que la de escaparse al cine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nothing Happens In This Movie.
I went totally crazy over this movie when I saw the cover and I paid the full retail price. The idea of a young teanage boy having a relationship with a middle age Latina is something that makes me very interested. But, what happens in this movie is this--after wasting time for an hour, they finally get down to business. The couple make out and have sex. But, do we get to see it...? Answer. No! They do it first under a thick dirty plastic cover, which gives you only shadows. Then they do it outside the cover, and we get to see a shot of their faces as they moan. Are you kidding me?...I had exected some bold Mexican movie, like "Sex and Lucia," where you get some real action. This, however, is whimpy, stupid, soap opera stuff. A waste of talent, money, and resources. Need I say more? ... Read more