Movie: Doble Juego

Doble Juego [Con Game], 2004, directed by Alberto Durant; originally in Spanish

Doble Juego, or Con Game, as it is called in English, is my fourth Peruvian movie that I have seen, and I have to say it is my favourite so far.  It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the others, but they were all rather slow and artsy.  Doble Juego was a very welcome change, a fast paced con movie set in Lima, Peru.  It was complicated, as all good con movies were, but I found myself glued to the movie the whole time, wondering how it could possibly work out in the end.

First we meet Rafo, who is an unsuccessful movie director, and his girlfriend Laura, who dreams of playing piano professionally.  Unfortunately, they are three months behind on rent.  Wilson, a watchman who wants to become a computer repairman, is added to the cast, a shy boy who is being preyed on by Luz, the maid from floor 6.  Jaime, an accountant-turned-taxi driver is another pawn in the game, and all are being manipulated by the crafty Salvator Gutierrez, a Spaniard who poses as a businessman from the telephone company in Peru.  He wraps them all around his finger, building an intricate web of lies and deception.  What is his plan?  Who is being swindled?  You’ll have to watch the movie to find out!