Chichester Cinema at New Park
A Useful Life
- La Vida Util
A movie-theatre employee adjusts to a new life after the cinema he worked at for over 25 years is forced to shut down.
An overworked programmer at the Uruguayan Cinematheque finds himself distracted from the job by a woman in Federico Veiroj's delectable "A Useful Life." What begins as a seemingly dry work evolves almost invisibly into a droll romantic comedy.
Much of the story focuses on Jellinek's Jorge, an employee of the Cinemateca Uruguay for 25 years, trapped in occupational autopilot, changing reels, talking up films, trying to secure rights for the ones he would love to screen, testing the cushioning of the movie house's seats, and prepping for a celebration of Manoel de Oliveira's centennial. All in a good day's work, but what's good about it exactly?
As it slowly dawns upon Jorge that his life is going to either end or begin, we witness his tentative steps towards reality. Beguiling, humorous and moving. (subtitles)
Uruguay · 2011 · Federico Veiroj · 70min
