Review: Jack Zagha Kababie's Almacenados (a.k.a. Warehoused ) houses an absurdly ridiculous two-man show about employment, specifically pre-retirement syndrome, in an empty warehouse, hence the title.
Set in a warehouse located in a Mexican suburb, the drama-comedy revolves on the last five working days of Mr. Lino (José Carlos Ruiz), an old, diligent employee, and first five days of Nin (Hose Meléndez). Each day represents a chapter in this smartly outlandish observational tale, which mostly comes in tranquility but always has the ability to trigger bittersweet laughs.
When auds start worrying about what a film which only takes place in an empty warehouse with two unlikely characters can offer for 90 minutes, Almacenados ' slick script written by David Desola Mediavilla gradually unravels the answers. With modest, if not restraint, comedic moments, the dramedy warmly presents delightful conversations between the leads concerning about work ethics, responsibility and generation gap. Zagha Kababie never presents the whole topics in a serious way, but, the whole things are brought into the story insightfully. For instance, there's a topic about punctuality told hilariously with punch clock issue.
The whole film is almost presented like a stage-play, in which each character's movements and blockings are staged accordingly. Even, the whole set almost resembles a minimalist stage with only one desk, one chair, one water dispenser and the punch clock. How Mediavilla's script and Zagha Kababie's direction deal with the absence of almost everything on screen is the film's real deal. To compensate that, they toy with characters along with their own nature.
Slowly unraveling each character's nature, which is clouded in the beginning, Almacenados takes its time to delve into the irony of Mr. Lino's working life and reflect it to Nin's view of it. Two opposite characters are colliding into each other, especially in their views about work. The result of the collision is as hilarious as ever.
When the 90 minutes passed, you will want to see more of Mr. Lino and Nin arguing in the only empty warehouse. It might restraint the witty humor in a room with only 2 actors, but who knows that it might be as addictive as it is absurd.
Almacenados
a.k.a.Warehoused
Drama, Comedy Directed by: Jack Zagha Kababie Written by: David Desola Starred by: José Carlos Ruiz, Hoze Meléndez Runtime: 93 mins
