First of all, the film is very good if we talk about filmmaking. It is slow, and somehow this Works against. The acting is amazing, every actor is wonderfull. But come on...we know who this serial killer was, in this film he is too humorous and funny....couldn't accept this aspect of the film.
41 Reviews
Watchable crime flick
Groverdox14 August 2019
"El Angel" is a consistently watchable crime thriller/case study of the real-life Argentine serial killer Carlos Puch. It is set in the seventies and feels eminently authentic. Its soundtrack, of Spanish rock songs, is also fantastic.
In this film, Puch is a habitual thief who seems incapable of remorse, or even perhaps any other emotion. He has a baby face and a head of curls and seems wide eyed and innocent. He walks through other people's homes as though they are his own; if anything, he seems more at ease there than in his own home.
A friendship leads to a local criminal who provides him with guns, and soon Carlos isn't just robbing people. He kills like a true psychopath with no emotion whatsoever, nor does he hesitate or even think about what he is doing.
His shootings seem to happen out of his control, especially in one scene that seems quite unrealistic. Carlos is apparently a crack shot the first time he has to handle a gun.
The movie includes a repulsive and unexpected shot of an old man's wrinkled, hairy scrotum hanging out of his boxer shorts. Repulsive.
Other than that, "El Angel" is a good movie. I say check it out.
In this film, Puch is a habitual thief who seems incapable of remorse, or even perhaps any other emotion. He has a baby face and a head of curls and seems wide eyed and innocent. He walks through other people's homes as though they are his own; if anything, he seems more at ease there than in his own home.
A friendship leads to a local criminal who provides him with guns, and soon Carlos isn't just robbing people. He kills like a true psychopath with no emotion whatsoever, nor does he hesitate or even think about what he is doing.
His shootings seem to happen out of his control, especially in one scene that seems quite unrealistic. Carlos is apparently a crack shot the first time he has to handle a gun.
The movie includes a repulsive and unexpected shot of an old man's wrinkled, hairy scrotum hanging out of his boxer shorts. Repulsive.
Other than that, "El Angel" is a good movie. I say check it out.
Tired of seeing Carlos pores
mdelrosariosisco26 March 2020
Story keeps your attention. Good performances if you see the film in mute... Every time actors talked they completely ruined their credibility. This was Lorenzo's first movie and you can tell a mile away. The extremely excess of subjective cámara contributed to highlight the actors poor performance. Watchable but let's face it, Argentina has better crime movies and biopics (much better)
Carlos...
Thanos_Alfie9 February 2023
"El Ángel" is a Biography - Drama movie in which we watch a 17-year-old teenager trying to find his place in the world but his life choices change his routine and his life in general very much.
I found this movie interesting but it lacked on action and in some moments it became a bit boring. The plot was simple but good enough to keep the audience attention while the direction which was made by Luis Ortega was equally good but with no surprises. The interpretation of Lorenzo Ferro who played as Carlos was very good and he made the difference. In conclusion, I have to say that "El Ángel" is a nice drama movie to spend your time with but do not expect more from that because I am sure that you will be disappointed.
I found this movie interesting but it lacked on action and in some moments it became a bit boring. The plot was simple but good enough to keep the audience attention while the direction which was made by Luis Ortega was equally good but with no surprises. The interpretation of Lorenzo Ferro who played as Carlos was very good and he made the difference. In conclusion, I have to say that "El Ángel" is a nice drama movie to spend your time with but do not expect more from that because I am sure that you will be disappointed.
Unfortunately, Ferro was the weak point of the movie
foxtografo13 July 2019
...which annoyed me, because the production, cinematography and direction are amazing. Ferro didn't feel natural speaking, apparently everyone thinks he's pretty and provably that's attractive in an actor and main role (even if he doesn't look much like the real life Carlos Puch), but his lines felt very forced and sounded very unnatural, it's more noticeable if you understand the original language and Argentinian accent.
I understand Carlos Puch is an absolute psychopath (excuse me if it's not the exact technical medical definition of what he is, but you get what I mean) and being inexpressive and lack of emotion in extreme situations could be part of his personality, but when Ferro is trying to act "normal" and talking to family or friends he looks and sounds very unconvincing.
Still, besides this few scenes when I didn't like Ferro's performance, the movie is very well produced and I did enjoy it very much.
There's also the fact that a couple of his worst crimes were left untold in the movie, which is weird, as they would have added a lot of weight and define better how bizarre and sinister Carlos is.
Still, good movie, but because of (in my opinion, of course) the main role's bad casting, I have to lower my score quite a bit.
Good but lacks script
sreeragmeppadath30 June 2019
Outstanding movie
andrej-groups6 August 2018
Watched this last night - absolutely stunningly directed, filmed and terrific acting, I found. Struggled a bit with the Argentinian Spanish and was very thankful for the English subtitles. :)
I'd love to hear from the people who are responsible for the comparatively poor rating (if I give it 10 and it sits on 6.8 there must be a few fairly poor votes) what they didn't like about it.
I'd love to hear from the people who are responsible for the comparatively poor rating (if I give it 10 and it sits on 6.8 there must be a few fairly poor votes) what they didn't like about it.
Interesante
daezma12 August 2018
Almost a masterpiece
Bocio10 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"People are crazy" is the first thing we heard from Carlitos at the start of "El Ángel". He too. His is an ordinary madness ("natural born chorro") but when he crosses with Ramón and his family will begin a story of love, dementia and death that has as a backdrop the dictatorship of Lanusse (1971). Moving like a fish in the water within the coordinates of the commercial cinema, Luis Ortega composes a fascinating film, a huge poetry (which at times borders the surrealism of Buñuel or Favio) and an impeccable actor´s direction. Two hours full of anthological scenes, lines of dialogue to remember, motorcycles, girls, weapons, vinyls, motels and cigarette smoke. The blood is few because the shots go through the daring lines of dialogue between the characters. Everything that in "History of a Clan" was lynchean perversion and obscurity becomes pop insanity here, mounted on a musical cavalcade that astutely emphasizes every moment and includes La Joven Guardia, Pappo's Blues, Manal, Gigliola Cinquetti, Leonardo Favio, Piazzolla, variations on Charlie Parker, Johnny Tedesco and -of course- King Palito Ortega (father of the director) in two very moving moments of the plot. Lorenzo Ferro debuts before the camera without any previous experience in the performance. He has the face, the gesture and the intensity of a cinematographic animal and holds the entire film with his adolescent androgyny. Chino Darin once more demonstrates that - well managed - he can become a Pasolinian subject. In addition to his sexual magnetism a la Brando, he has a special aura to compose tragic roles. The Fanego / Morán duo is irresistibly morbid. And near the end comes a wonderful Peter Lanzani, close to the Denis Hopper of "Easy Rider" in argento mode or John Voight´s midnight cowboy walking on the streets of Buenos Aires. The photo and color correction of the duo Apezteguía / Russo moves between blood red and a stifling cyanotic. The reconstruction of the era is splendid. The film has everything to become the Panzer tank of the Argentine industry. But at the same time it's an instant classic. Chapeau Ortega.
Sugar coated criminal bio
saraccan25 August 2020
It has an exceptional cinematography and captures the details of 1970s superbly. Costumes, make-up, hairstyles, it feels very real. They paid very close attention to small details to really take you into that time period. It portrays this criminal in a loveable and almost cute way which forces the viewer have this interesting conflict while watching which you may not have had if this was a documentary.
The true story of 17-year-old baby faced killer Carlos "Angel" Puch.
The true story of 17-year-old baby faced killer Carlos "Angel" Puch.
Such a great argetinian movie
mauriciotoso18 August 2018
Okay, but nothing more: quite flat for the subject matter
grantss1 June 2022
17-year-old Carlos has the face of an angel but this masks his criminal activities. He starts with cat burgling and small-time theft then joins a gang and moves onto bigger, more audacious robberies. He also displays a callous disregard for human life and murder comes naturally to him.
This film looked very interesting on paper. Based on the true story of Carlos Robledo Puch, one of Argentina's most notorious serial killers, I was expecting a gritty depiction of his life and possibly an insight into what drove him to his crimes.
However, the actual article is far from the fast-moving, action-packed, mental thriller I was hoping for. It's a linear blow-by-blow account of his activities, told in fairly conventional, drab fashion. His life is interesting enough but not all of it: some passages of play are dull and superfluous and the action is bereft of excitement or tension. For a crime drama, especially one on a serial killer, the tone is quite flat.
Overall, it's watchable, but only just.
This film looked very interesting on paper. Based on the true story of Carlos Robledo Puch, one of Argentina's most notorious serial killers, I was expecting a gritty depiction of his life and possibly an insight into what drove him to his crimes.
However, the actual article is far from the fast-moving, action-packed, mental thriller I was hoping for. It's a linear blow-by-blow account of his activities, told in fairly conventional, drab fashion. His life is interesting enough but not all of it: some passages of play are dull and superfluous and the action is bereft of excitement or tension. For a crime drama, especially one on a serial killer, the tone is quite flat.
Overall, it's watchable, but only just.
The "Killer with a Woman's Face"
EdgarST18 July 2020
«El ángel» is a gruesome, morbid and prudish film, which does not confront what it proposes nor does it portray what it suggests, turning the best-known serial killer in the criminal history of Argentina into a young boy with voluptuous roundness, who enters and leaves the houses of the rich and businesses with ease, who kills in cold blood and carries out robberies à la carte. But what «El ángel» omits is grave, only to sell us the pretty face of a young actor, put the killer's sexuality on the front page and emphasizes (a bit too much) his ambiguity, since the affairs of theGBTQ+ community are fashionable, and the unrepentant Pedro Almodóvar is listed among the producers.
The real life of Carlos Robledo Puch, as anyone can read in the annals of Argentine crime (via the internet), was more violent, morbid and marginal than what is described in the film. The script paints him as a cute psychopath, but does not give us clues or evidence of his maladjustments, concentrating instead on the full lips of Guillermo Ferro, the actor who plays him. In fact, this "invention" that Ferro interprets (very well, it must be said, considering that he had no acting experience) seems like a rational boy, aware of his capacities and qualities and with a not-too-hidden emotional streak, that easily surfaces in several scenes, when it is the turn of melodrama.
In this portrait of Carlos Robledo, there is no connection to the Argentine socio-political and economic crisis of 1971, when the country was subjugated by the first of the dictatorships that have harassed that republic, and insurrections and guerrillas had increased. There are a couple of torture threats made by police officers, or checkpoints, but little more is said about the dramatic panorama in which the young Robledo lived, stole and killed.
All the while, the script plays with his sexuality, but it evades the graphic in his relationship with a school mate (Chino Darín, who looks too old to be a high school student, that evolves from student to petty thief, to hustler and, suddenly, to aspiring television star); and omits Robledo's notorious kidnappings, rapes and murders of women. The film prefers to maintain a constant homoerotic tension between the two men, and introduces an implausible relationship with two female twins.
The film, in short, embellishes the life of the delinquent Carlos Robledo Puch, the "thief with a woman's face" capable of seducing police officers; and sets his criminal activities in jewelry shops, gun shops, old retirees' mansions or homosexual art collectors' apartments, when in reality Robledo mainly robbed and killed in hardware stores, bars, supermarkets and car agencies.
If I forget that this is a semi-biographical film, «El ángel» is nothing more than a standard and inconsequential little film that once again shows the creative jam of Argentina's mainstream cinema.
The real life of Carlos Robledo Puch, as anyone can read in the annals of Argentine crime (via the internet), was more violent, morbid and marginal than what is described in the film. The script paints him as a cute psychopath, but does not give us clues or evidence of his maladjustments, concentrating instead on the full lips of Guillermo Ferro, the actor who plays him. In fact, this "invention" that Ferro interprets (very well, it must be said, considering that he had no acting experience) seems like a rational boy, aware of his capacities and qualities and with a not-too-hidden emotional streak, that easily surfaces in several scenes, when it is the turn of melodrama.
In this portrait of Carlos Robledo, there is no connection to the Argentine socio-political and economic crisis of 1971, when the country was subjugated by the first of the dictatorships that have harassed that republic, and insurrections and guerrillas had increased. There are a couple of torture threats made by police officers, or checkpoints, but little more is said about the dramatic panorama in which the young Robledo lived, stole and killed.
All the while, the script plays with his sexuality, but it evades the graphic in his relationship with a school mate (Chino Darín, who looks too old to be a high school student, that evolves from student to petty thief, to hustler and, suddenly, to aspiring television star); and omits Robledo's notorious kidnappings, rapes and murders of women. The film prefers to maintain a constant homoerotic tension between the two men, and introduces an implausible relationship with two female twins.
The film, in short, embellishes the life of the delinquent Carlos Robledo Puch, the "thief with a woman's face" capable of seducing police officers; and sets his criminal activities in jewelry shops, gun shops, old retirees' mansions or homosexual art collectors' apartments, when in reality Robledo mainly robbed and killed in hardware stores, bars, supermarkets and car agencies.
If I forget that this is a semi-biographical film, «El ángel» is nothing more than a standard and inconsequential little film that once again shows the creative jam of Argentina's mainstream cinema.
A pretty face criminal in Buenos Aires
pedromeskita17 February 2021
I started watching El Ángel not knowing it was based on a real story, and only halfway through the film I reckoned it could be the case. Generally there is too much detail and context on "base in a true story" movies, which make them boring. This one is different and I appreciated that the director/writer took the liberty to explore his own view and focus on the artistic aspects. I think that Carlito's sexual ambiguity and tension with Ramón was smartly portrayed, without getting too explicit. Good camerawork, decent acting and accurate characterization of the 70s. Truly one of the best Argentinean pictures of the decade.
Peliculon
pedro_segura4 September 2018
Perfect.
fitzwolf-6578211 August 2018
The pacing, the acting, the writing, the direction, everything: amazing. An Argentine masterpiece I recommend you all to go watch it. I don't want to rise expectations too high, but 'The Angel' is my favorite film of the year so far.
HELL'S ANGEL
MadamWarden16 August 2020
A cracking movie. Almost unbelievable that it's a loosely based biographical account of a real psychopath. Ferro as the evil angelic killer is superb. The sets, costumes, cinematography are all top drawer and add to the crazed nature of the movie. You feel that you are actually in his head.
The casual murders are chilling in their understatement. The sexual subtext bubbles underneath the entire journey but never intrudes.
This is a stylish, clever and very absorbing insight into a psychotic killer's mind.
Wow!
The casual murders are chilling in their understatement. The sexual subtext bubbles underneath the entire journey but never intrudes.
This is a stylish, clever and very absorbing insight into a psychotic killer's mind.
Wow!
Nicely set and acted well... but let's remember these were vicious criminals
euroGary29 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
In early 1970s' Buenos Aires, Carlos is a baby-faced teenager with a cat-burglary hobby, a taste for danger and little consideration for anyone other than himself. At reform school he meets older boy Ramón, and the pair soon start a campaign of burglary (sometimes accompanied by Ramón's father, a career criminal). These expeditions often involve Carlos shooting someone dead.
The film portrays Carlos and Ramón as loveable rascals, which is disappointing as they were, in fact, real people (the character of Ramón being inspired by a differently-named accomplice of Carlos). Indeed, according to Wikipedia, Carlos is the longest-serving prisoner in Argentina. The film does not glamorize the murders, but it seems unlikely the friends and relatives of their victims would appreciate the slayings of their loved ones being presented in such a light-hearted manner. It is also noteworthy that some of the pair's most awful crimes - the rape and murder of a sixteen year-old girl, for instance, or the attempted murder of a baby - are not included here - perhaps because they would not fit that 'loveable rascal' narrative?
Playing Carlos, Lorenzo Ferro is a taunting psychopath who seems fascinated as he toys with others as a cat does with a mouse. As Ramón, Chino Darín effortlessly smoulders and provides a nice cheesy turn when the fame-hungry Ramón appears on a television talent show. In the supporting roles, Daniel Fanego as Ramón's old lag of a father is icy without going over the top, and Mercedes Morán gives a fine example in slovenly wantoness as Ramón's MIL who Carlos refuses to F - possibly because he is more interested in her son.
Seen at the 2018 London Film Festival.
The film portrays Carlos and Ramón as loveable rascals, which is disappointing as they were, in fact, real people (the character of Ramón being inspired by a differently-named accomplice of Carlos). Indeed, according to Wikipedia, Carlos is the longest-serving prisoner in Argentina. The film does not glamorize the murders, but it seems unlikely the friends and relatives of their victims would appreciate the slayings of their loved ones being presented in such a light-hearted manner. It is also noteworthy that some of the pair's most awful crimes - the rape and murder of a sixteen year-old girl, for instance, or the attempted murder of a baby - are not included here - perhaps because they would not fit that 'loveable rascal' narrative?
Playing Carlos, Lorenzo Ferro is a taunting psychopath who seems fascinated as he toys with others as a cat does with a mouse. As Ramón, Chino Darín effortlessly smoulders and provides a nice cheesy turn when the fame-hungry Ramón appears on a television talent show. In the supporting roles, Daniel Fanego as Ramón's old lag of a father is icy without going over the top, and Mercedes Morán gives a fine example in slovenly wantoness as Ramón's MIL who Carlos refuses to F - possibly because he is more interested in her son.
Seen at the 2018 London Film Festival.
Loved it.
AnAlienFromVenus27 January 2019
One of the best movies I have ever seen. The cinematography, the acting, the music, the whole vibe in general is just amazing, it definitely made me feel some type of way that I can not explain, very few movies manage to do that. Yes, I realize that this film is about a criminal and that what Carlos Robledo Puch did is wrong, however I don't think that the movie romanticized him in any way shape or form. It was very interesting to see how the character interacts with other people. I also love that the film obviously showed that it's not the parent's fault that Carlos is a criminal, the contrast is quite prominent between the characters. It is always easy to put the blame on parents without realizing that everyone has a mind of their own. 10/10 would recommend.
I loved it
c_giordano116 September 2018
The world belongs to outlaws and artists. Talking about artists...
catigrun10 March 2019
El angel (2018) directed by Luis Ortega is a biographical crime drama film. It is inspired by the true story of Argentine serial killer Carlos Robledo Puch (or "The Angel of Death" and "The Black Angel") who has been in prison since 1973 and is the longest-serving prisoner in Argentina.
Lorenzo Ferro is great as the baby-faced killer with his innocent charisma and the cleverness and, yes, the dance moves. His performance is quite impressive and for all I know this is his first role in a movie. He surely did an outstanding work giving us that image of a beautiful and dangerous boy, the boy that we not truly understand and yet can't keep our eyes off. And speaking of the rest of the cast - they were great too. Chino Darin, Cecilia Roth, Peter Lanzani, Daniel Fanego and Mercedes Moran - they all worked together and seem to put the souls into the movie.
The film is effective in recreating the style and atmosphere of 1970s Buenos Aires, the picture looks stunning/stylish and the storyline is interesting/entertaining and I very much liked kind of circular plot structure. And of course I should not forget to mention the amazing soundtrack. So everything works here: the script, the actors, the camera guy, the directing is great, the soundtrack is great, the style is and so on.
For a stylised bit of criminal drama based on real-life events, this one's pretty well done and simply one of the best movies I've ever watched.
Away from art near the money
faustus-1646718 September 2018
Away from art near the money
The angel looks more like a clip or a short film. There are no doubts about the good uses of production techniques that clearly exceeds the argentinian average films. This does not imply all the weaknesses that the ambitious project contains that ends up being a film easily forgotten. The little artistic risk assumed by the creator narrating from a trivial perspective a story based on the life of the most famous serial killer in Argentina is clearly exposed by using the same resources over and over during the movie in different characters end up boring because although it manages to create cute atmospheres, the development of the script does not complete those illusions. The creator seeks to rely on roads he already traveled as the detail of the scenarios, the "beauty" aesthetic and the music of the time, creating "cool" atmospheres for the adolescent viewer. The result is a film with a taste of nothing.
The angel looks more like a clip or a short film. There are no doubts about the good uses of production techniques that clearly exceeds the argentinian average films. This does not imply all the weaknesses that the ambitious project contains that ends up being a film easily forgotten. The little artistic risk assumed by the creator narrating from a trivial perspective a story based on the life of the most famous serial killer in Argentina is clearly exposed by using the same resources over and over during the movie in different characters end up boring because although it manages to create cute atmospheres, the development of the script does not complete those illusions. The creator seeks to rely on roads he already traveled as the detail of the scenarios, the "beauty" aesthetic and the music of the time, creating "cool" atmospheres for the adolescent viewer. The result is a film with a taste of nothing.
Erotic character
eldadelbosque15 January 2020
Let me start by saying that the cinematography of this piece is delicious; very well thought and executed in the reds, the light and the wrapping and sensual darkness. Interestingly, this description could also be used for trying to make sense of how the main character is constructed. Carlitos's personality doesn't take a lot of hues, only the ones that feel right in any given situation, and that is a rare and welcomed attempt to getting close to whatever shape authenticity might take in the social structure.
Lorenzo Ferro's acting is hypnotizing; I found myself smirking at the screen at some scenes in which he was just doing his thing; being himself next to someone, as if the other person didn't really exist (or as if it didn't make a difference if they were there or not).
Lorenzo Ferro's acting is hypnotizing; I found myself smirking at the screen at some scenes in which he was just doing his thing; being himself next to someone, as if the other person didn't really exist (or as if it didn't make a difference if they were there or not).
Weirdly alluring
borgolarici7 December 2021
I loved this movie mostly because, despite being based on a real story, it has all the qualities of a rock and roll epic. You know that Carlos is a despicable human being but you can't help being charmed by him (the young actor did a masterful job with the script tbh).
I couldn't give it a 10 because there's like a physiological voltage drop in the last part, but it's a great movie.
I couldn't give it a 10 because there's like a physiological voltage drop in the last part, but it's a great movie.
Greit movie!
delldanser16 July 2019
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