DUCK SEASON (2004)

Directed By: Fernando Eimbcke 
Written By: Fernando Eimbcke & Paula Markovich 
Cinematography By: Alexis Zabe 
Editor: Mariana Rodriguez 


Cast: Daniel Miranda, Diego Catano, Enrique Arreola, Danny Perea


Flama and Moko are fourteen years old; they have been best friends since they were kids. They have everything they need to survive yet another boring Sunday: an apartment without parents, videogames, porn magazines, soft drinks and pizza delivery. The electricity company, Rita, the neighbor, Ulises, a pizza deliveryman, eleven seconds, the Real Madrid-Manchester game, some chocolate brownies and a horrible painting of ducks, all combine to break the harmony of what promised to be a placid Sunday, and reveal issues such as the parents' divorce, loneliness, the confusion between adolescent love and friendship, as well as frustration in adult life. "Temporada de Patos" is a movie that shows that, when the lights go off, we can see the stars

This film has a bunch of fanfare hoping to become independent foreign film hit, but seems to have gone onto obscurity as no one seems to mention it these days.

The film is all about innocent fun. It involves two best friends spending their last day together before one moves away. They are joined by a pizza delivery boy and a girl trying desperately to make a cake. When her oven breaks she comes over to use theirs. Once they are all together a blackout happens An afternoon of video games is ruined.

Soon they all get to know each other and spend the afternoon entertaining themselves and others.

What Is likeable about the film is that it is entertaining while being so simple. It also reminds you of the innocence of youth. The fun in play and how every little problem. Seems so huge and monumental when it's really not that big. It's a side step at most. That is also how I would describe this movie. A bunch of small moments that have a wild amount of energy and a sense of fun. How simple things can be monumental. The things that seem so huge will be some little tidbit in the future. It truly defines love and friendship when you are young.

The title of the film brings so many possibilities. Something akin to cartoonish madcap comedy ala looney toons or something to do with hunting. Though not an action scenario, but one where like hunting for some is more a bonding experience as well as proving you adulthood or masculinity in other words coming of age. It also means literal death for those weaker and he elimination of childhood as the real world and responsibility come more into light. Life can be less colorful and becomes more black and white or can work the reverse in the color scheme as life is more open to possibility where as before you only believed in one way. The way you were taught. This film lays open the ending of a certain time in your life, but opens the possibilities of what is coming Ahead. A future you can't stop, but are afraid of the changes that will happen.

Filming in black and white only helps to make the film feel timeless.

I don't have too much more to say about it. Except for the fact that it is an enjoyable film that deserves to be seen and enjoyed.

Yes it’s a coming of age tale, of youth. That takes place all in one day. Though it’s a film that can’t exactly be explained. it’s one of those movies you are exposed to and watch and your enjoyment grows as you just watch and somewhat experience the film and the characters as they charm and seduce you. Not necessarily in a romantic way, but in more a companionship way.

The film has a sense of humor that isn’t as antic as films of these types usually have. it is dry in it’s humor and takes it’s time but is ultimately rewarding. The film in it’s own way has a certain purity of cinema and spirit.

The film seems to try to resemble the madcap energy of the film with a similar title the mark brothers DUCK SOUP. Though not with thee one liners. This film stays only in one location.

I came to see this film after reading about It's low budget and story. How it was made and a splash at the sundance film festival even after it won no awards. Hopefully this film will be seen by more with word of mouth.

It's an undiscovered little gem. That needs to be seen.


Grade: B