True: there may be plenty of misconceptions about the artful lives of film critics, and in The Film Critic, Argentinian director Hernan Guerschuny interminably plays up on them. These entertainment writers are exposed to vibrant artwork and/or 'bankable products' on a daily basis, so much so that Guerschuny, who also wrote the screenplay, has at least one come down with an unshakable bout of ennui in his film. In The Film Critic, his hero, Victor Tellez (Rafael Spregelburd, Series: Guapas) is a cynical introvert who adores complex, layered films but fears the genre he hates -- romance -- is out to ruin his life. He lives in a shabby apartment, is distant with his family and finds that onscreen chemistry was only found in decades-old films. He explores all of the city's apartments, in an attempt to upgrade from his cramped hole in the wall, but when he settles on a perfect one, he is swiftly denied -- and told that the place is off the market. Tellez then encounters another party inside the building, who winds up being the charming but elusive tourist, Sofia (Dolores Fonzi). Although Tellez despises onscreen moments of kisses amid a downpour, passionate necking under fireworks and hackneyed dialogue at opportune moments, it seems that those very cliches are chasing him down, via Sofia.

The Film Critic practically pauses every few scenes to let viewers know that the film is moderately meta, or introspective, an active commentary on genre conventions. Nonetheless, the narrative still manages to take shape: Tellez gradually succumbs to the romance, grows closer with his niece, Agatha (Telma Crisanti), is told by a fellow critic that he does not have "maladie du cinema," but instead just anxiety, and also tries to settle the more farcical element of this film; he's being chased down by a young filmmaker who found Tellez's review of his film simply unacceptable. All the while, he is persuaded to write a screenplay by his sister's courtier, but what will he write about?

There are a handful of shimmering moments in the film: in a boatyard, at an airport and on Tellez's stove as he toasts small morsels of bread. These clever dialogic moments are underscored by vibrant yet livid frames from cinematographer Marcelo Lavintman, and while the screenplay veers from the mainstream "arc," it does so in an engaging and intentional way. Therefore, the solid, yet supplemental production values are pieces of a larger puzzle -- one that tries to illuminate the picture, or perception, of an independent journalist, and the romance genre. This film and its eponymous character are valuable contributions to the romantic canon, and its message remains positively evergreen. Also worth note is the bubbly, fervent performance from Fonzi. While viewers will come to appreciate Tellez, they'll also be smitten with, and taken aback by the complex character of Sofia. The Film Critic is inventive in its subtle humor, and while slightly outlandish, is still a pleasant surprise.