Centauro – An Intense Journey Through the Criminal Underworld.
Director: Daniel Calparsoro
Writer: Yann Gozlan, Guillaume Lemans, Simon Moutairou (Screenplay) Jeremie Guez (Novel)
Starring: Alex Monner, Edgar Vittorino, Carlos Bardem, Begona Vargas
Plot: Rafa’s hooked on the pure, fiery feelings he gets from speed racing, but when his kid’s mom gets mixed up with drug dealers, he burns rubber to save her.
Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Centauro starts as Rafa (Monner) finds his motorcycling career stalling, despite his potential. He must work to make ends meet and support his son Matteo. When Rafa discovers Matteo’s mother Natalia (Vargas) injured and her apartment ransacked.
Rafa looks to step into help Natalia, offer his services to the drug dealer Carlos (Vittorino). Anything to clear her name and keep his son safe. Making a deal to work for two months to clear the debt. In what will become a high-risk race smuggling drugs.
Thoughts on Centauro
Characters
Rafa is a motorcyclist on the verge on breaking into the professional game. Now, he still works a day job to support his child. When he learns his son is in danger, he reluctantly agrees to help the drug dealer. Rafa becomes a drug smuggler, while chasing his dream. Getting to let himself loose on a motorcycle across borders. This could risk his professional future though.
Carlos is the drug dealer that threats Rafa’s child. He needs to find a new way to get his product across the borders between France and Spain. Carlos is a threatening man, he wants his product or money, taking no excuses.
Natalia is the mother of Rafa’s child, she finds herself in trouble with Carlos. She had been stashing drugs for him, having them stolen, needing to repay the debt. Rafa offers to help her, but she doesn’t know what he is doing to clear the debt.
Performances
Alex Monner gives us a great job in the three lives his character is living. The ambitious motorcyclist, the caring father and the reluctant smuggler. Edgar Vittorino as the drug dealer shows the ruthless side. Also offering up a man of his world figure in the drug dealing world.
Story
The story in Centauro follows a motorcycle racer that gets drawn into the criminal drug underworld. One he enters to save his family from a drug dealer. Taking a job that will risk his own future, using his own expertise as a rider to achieve.
Like many reluctant drug smuggling movies, like ‘Snitch’. We see the man left with little options but to enter this world. Showing it is this or a horrific outcome for his loved ones. The fine balance between the dream chasing and defending the family becomes clear here. Being the driving force for the risks Rafa must take.
The core of the story will be easy to follow, not offering up anything outside the linear concepts. We get to see the calm creation of a man that is left with no other options in life.
Themes
Centauro is a crime thriller, diving into the criminal underworld in Spain. The movie will offer up motorbike action, with chases going on across the border. The races on the circuit offerup the life Rafa could have and shows his skills on a bike. The film will use the montage feature to show the drain the three lives have taken on Rafa.
Final Thoughts – Centauro is an intense journey into the criminal underworld.
