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El Bonaerense

Play trailer Poster for El Bonaerense Released Nov 26, 2003 1h 41m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 47% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Locksmith Zapa (Jorge Román) lives unremarkably with his family in the countryside of Argentina -- until his corrupt boss, Polaco (Hugo Anganuzzi), frames him for a robbery. When his retired-cop father bails him out, he is sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a police cadet. Under the guidance of Molinari (Víctor Hugo Carrizo) and the mentoring of Inspector Gallo (Darío Levy), Zapa rises quickly, but soon he discovers the deep corruption that pervades the Buenos Aires police force.
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El Bonaerense

Critics Reviews

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Empire Magazine Rated: 3/5 Dec 30, 2006 Full Review V.A. Musetto New York Post Director Trapero drives home his message -- the thin line between crooks and cops -- without hitting viewers over the head or seeming to point fingers. Rated: 3/4 Nov 26, 2003 Full Review Stephen Holden New York Times [A] powerful sweat-stained swatch of Argentine neo-realism. Rated: 4/5 Nov 25, 2003 Full Review Samantha Schuster Cinéfilo Serial It seeks to address the universe of the Buenos Aires police, capturing all its facets: the speed of its training, the mistreatment among personnel and towards detainees, the corruption and the businesses that are built around it. [Full Review in Spanish] Rated: 4/5 Jul 17, 2025 Full Review Kent Turner Film-Forward.com Low budget and technically polished, El Bonaerense is a calm, simmering satire of a police force that is a power all to itself. Rated: 2.75/5 Apr 9, 2004 Full Review Bob Campbell Newark Star-Ledger Credit El Bonaerense with journalistic single-mindedness and, given recent Argentine history, sheer guts. Dec 5, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Vitor O Extremely realist movie that depicts the corruption on the Buenos Aires police force. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/20/25 Full Review Audience Member A great movie depicting the other side of Buenos Aires. Corruption, greed, bureaucracy, power rushes that a loaded pistol gives the uneducated, Christmas and the dream of accomplishing something in order to get out of the shanty town the main character is simply trying to survive one more day. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member a very realistic depiction of how people move up the ladder in (probably) any police force in the world...or for that matter any organization... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Cine realista sobre la corrupcion y las particularidades policiales Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
El Bonaerense

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Movie Info

Synopsis Locksmith Zapa (Jorge Román) lives unremarkably with his family in the countryside of Argentina -- until his corrupt boss, Polaco (Hugo Anganuzzi), frames him for a robbery. When his retired-cop father bails him out, he is sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a police cadet. Under the guidance of Molinari (Víctor Hugo Carrizo) and the mentoring of Inspector Gallo (Darío Levy), Zapa rises quickly, but soon he discovers the deep corruption that pervades the Buenos Aires police force.
Director
Pablo Trapero
Producer
Pablo Trapero
Screenwriter
Pablo Trapero, Daniel Valenzuela
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 26, 2003, Original
Runtime
1h 41m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
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