Seasoned as we are with the heist films, the coming directors have begun to use that as a stepping stone for their films. The winding twists and turns to outnumber the guessing game of the viewers are jujitsu-ed. But in “Nine Queens” an Argentinean film directed by Fabián Bielinsky, as with any success for a film on twists, it takes us and immerses on the techniques and unexpected talent from the con artists rather than a motto on screwing the viewers. It has a flexible honesty in its central characters who knows each other cannot be trusted and nothing is true. But as with the business and the terms of con movies, the end comes on trusting the untrustworthy person to do the final job. It can be made up to come on that terms and becoming obvious written portion to implicate that but in “Nine Queens”, the events unfold with a coincidence of such a believability, we wake up from a dream and connect the dots. The answer is always simple and even silly for the most complicated problems.It is one of those days where circumstances and situations are too hard to believe but it does happen. It is one such day for the young and naïve Juan (Gastón Pauls) to be saved by Marcos (Ricardo Darín) in a gas station trick done wrong. Marcos being a con and the open liar/impostor invites Juan for a one day partnership in running on his daily business. Juan being a con, brought up by his dad who was a con and Marcos in his eyes written “watch me screw you”, he thinks but as expected joins as his situation demands. He needs seventy grand to let his dad out and believes Marcos has the experience and skill to do it.
When we think Juan is a novice as Marcos does too, he trumps him/us with a truly smooth swindle to show his talents. The road walk continues as Marcos as a faithful teacher educates the liability and the business of being a con works. Marcos is a person who knows the work for its purity in one form, having no conscience. He is clear as crystal about it. Juan on the other hand has the innocence and the partial heart of doing the deed haunts him. They will be invited into a transfer which is too good to be true and an opportunity for the perfect distrust in any of the involving members. It happens in a hotel which becomes an environment in accordance of their work and also the mood to settle in as viewers. It is all closed doors with glossy outlook. Dirty things happen but the exterior is everything that matters to keep the business going. The exterior Marcos carries a weird integrity that he performs the con as professional as any one could imagine. His exposing and concealment of truth is as easy as tearing a paper. He exactly knows the consequences and at one point says to Juan, “It is easy to be a bastard but to be a real bastard….” He is a real bastard and bloody clean in the life of dirty work he leads on.
Explained earlier, the suspense or the ultimate trick is on the tables any moment but “Nine Queens” is not about that. As charming as these personalities are, they cannot con their way out always. They are stuck with impossibilities and give up too. And end of day as their character and the zeal of conning, their real personality is never known. They can be subtle charmers but exposed distrust. And Ricardo Darín is so honest in Marcos and so much we love this guy (as long as he messes with the life of others than us), he is one mean insensitive con artist. The honesty in that is dangerous for any one which includes him too.
What is with our passion towards these swindlers? Any one will be the last person to laugh or admire these two people’s personalities when our backs are stripped bare naked without our notice. In “Nine Queens”, they have a round about script to justify the deeds of the characters. When near the end, we think at this very moment it will be a satisfying end and we feel there need not be any suspense at all or we would not feel cheated if they did not give any, that’s the time director Fabián Bielinsky has completely succeeded.
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