First of all, you have to be Argentinian to fully appreciate this film and understand the message. I am Argentinian and consider this film a clear critique of Argentinian society. In the UK, an equivalent would be a yuppie Knightsbridge-type couple living next to a cockney, east-end-type couple. The melancholy and excessive interest in trivial things, the approach and attitude to people considered "less" than oneself ("no es como la gente") and the reaction of the neighbour, who seems coarse and uneducated, but who is, in fact, more humane and kinder than the man we initially consider the "hero". We identify with the "hero" and then realize just how mistaken we are. I got bored in some moments and yes, it's long, but I think it's intentional so that you can feel the shift from one character to the other, the annoyance the "hero" feels and his flawed but very common relationship with his wife. I personally loved this film and will never forget it, but then again, I am Argentinian.
Review of El hombre de al lado
