In 2004, Daniel Burman made Lost Embrace, a lovely film about a young Argentine Jew (Daniel Hendler) who is coming to terms with his family and the disappearance of his father. Part of a loosely connected "fatherhood trilogy," Burman's new film Family Law takes on some of the same themes: a young Jewish man (once again, Daniel Hendler) struggles with married life, fatherhood, and his relationship to his own father. Like Lost Embrace, Family Law is funny and moving--a more mature, deceptively simple exploration of how to live.
Ariel Perelman (Hendler) lives under the self-imposed shadow of his father Bernardo (Arturo Goetz), a charming, well respected man. Ariel teaches law in the lofty confines of a university; Bernardo practices the profession, wheeling and dealing, meeting clients and witnesses in coffee shops, condemned restaurants, and auto repair shops. Family Law deftly portrays a man at odds with the good, middle class life he has created for himself.The distance the son creates from his father is palpable, though his reasons are never quite clear, especially to himself.
Hendler's nuanced performance gives a rounded portrayal of a sympathetic but not always likable man. Ariel has a tendency to be a prig; he falls asleep in his suit and tie, ignores his beautiful and patiently exasperated wife (Julieta Diaz), and lacks interest in the proclamations and bowel movements of his ridiculously adorable two-year-old son. Perleman's emotional failings are painful to watch--the very worst being the indifferent front he puts on for his father. The older man's mortality is written all over his face: Love me, I won't be here for long.
Filmmaker Daniel Burman does not overtly address the sweeping themes that makes audiences take notice. Family Law is Argentina's official selection for the foreign language Oscar, but an actual nomination is unlikely. In his matter of fact portrayal of Jews in Argentina, Burman does not overtly address the Holocaust. He does not cast Latin movie stars--no Gael Garcia Bernal or Penelope Cruz. He continues to tell intimate stories of ordinary people, blending life, love, and loss with a strong dose of humor. Family Law includes a wonderful scene where a disgruntled penguin activist bursts into a classroom: a priceless and unexpected moment.
