Directed by: Fernando León de Aranoa
Written by: Fernando León de Aranoa, Diego Farias (screenplay), Paula Farias (novel)
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Tim Robbins, Olga Kurylenko, Mélanie Thierry, Fedja Stukan, Eldar Residovic
From its striking opening A Perfect Day is grubby and real, filled with weathered props and beautiful aerial shots of the suffering landscape.
Though it has a well-defined style – established in part by the killer soundtrack – A Perfect Day doesn’t lack substance. Structural repetition, the paradigmatic character of Thierry’s newcomer and a microcosmic timeframe combine to deftly illuminate some of the potential bureaucratic obstacles to aid work.
Moments of sad pathos are neither manipulative nor heavy-handed, while the convincing group dynamics crafted by the strong international cast allow for dry humour despite the subject matter. Robbins has never been funnier.
León de Aranoa finely balances tone to craft a warm human film that sheds light on the stark realities of war – including many of relevance to the current refugee crisis.
SCENE A LOT OF FILMS 