The Innocents
- Sandro Mairata
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
This film will be shown April 22nd in New York City
RATING: 4.5/5 | By Sandro Mairata @smairata/ REFLEKTOR
“A dark and sensory coming-of-age story”
In The Innocents, Germán Tejada transforms Oswaldo Reynoso's classic book into a dark and sensory coming-of-age story where adolescent masculinity breaks down under the harsh light of the neighborhood, but his commitment to stylization leaves open questions about what kind of violence he is willing to face head-on. The film oscillates between fidelity to the homoerotic and marginal spirit of the novel and the contemporary need to comment on identity and gender, constructing a world where desire is the driving force of the narrative and, at the same time, its main object of punishment.
Some may disagree with the artistic liberties taken in this adaptation; also known as Lima en rock, Reynoso published his book in 1961, and Tejada translates his story with a retro vibe of underground Lima in the 1980s and 1990s, complete with punk concerts, fanzines, and homemade flyers, photocopied at Galerías Brasil and pasted on walls with paste. A young cast led by the surprising Diego Cruchaga Ponce de León as Cara de Ángel (“Angel Face”)and supported by the excellent Grecia Belén and Christian Calderón, among others, acts with a naturalness and boldness absent from the pretty faces of Lima's commercial comedies.
The neighborhood surrounding Cara de Ángel is not so much a sociological environment as a testing ground for his identity. The streets, rooftops, alleys, and interiors saturated with smoke and rock music function as stations on a journey of initiation in which the protagonist is forced to choose between loyalty to the group, fidelity to his desires, and the need to survive humiliation. There, punk language—music, aesthetics, attitude—is not merely a generational backdrop: it operates as a channel for rebellion that, rather than offering a way out, amplifies the background noise of a city that only recognizes male bodies when they exhibit toughness or violence.
What's more, these “innocents” use cell phones and some sing reggaeton. The powerful visual production—where the punch of the Señor Z production collective is evident—is complemented by a Peruvian hardcore soundtrack chosen by Tejada himself that deserves to be heard. At times, the visual style borders on music videos or commercials, the use of allegorical interjections and the idea behind the ending can be disconcerting, and inevitably much of what Reynoso has to say is left out, but the spirit of the story is there and, in this film, it beats strongly.
Year of Release: | 2025 |
Director | |
Producer | Marco Antonio Salgado, Lorena Ugarteche |
Cast | Diego Cruchaga Ponce de León Fabián Calle José Miguel Chuman Grecia Pino José Masías Beto Benites Joshua Salinas Josue Subáustue Christian Calderón Lucía Becerra Renato Rueda |
IMDB |
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