El Angel

This visually attractive, fast-paced (with cool retro music) portrait of a spineless adolescent with an angelic face and his criminal behavior is entertaining, as it does not worry much about robberies or murders, and it’s as ignorant and carefree as its main character. For both him and the movie, it’s all just a wild ride without any rules. Lorenzo Ferro in the lead role has the right looks and phlegmatic nature, but he’s just a brat who doesn’t know what he’s doing, he’s more lucky than clever, and he’s not getting any respect or being cool in any way. Which is why this is no Scorsese movie. [Sitges FF] (10/12/2018)

A solid Spanish gangster film! Based on true events, the story revolves around a 17 year old teenager with an angelic face and hair who is responsible for over forty robberies and eleven murders. Great retro atmosphere, brisk pace, decent acting and plenty of suspense make The Angel another Spanish hit that should not be missed by fans of gangsters and Spaniards alike. (06/25/2019)

El Angel is the story of a young guy with an angelic face for whom other people’s property, money, feelings and later on even lives meant nothing. So he took them to his heart’s content. And, in ’70s Argentina, he got away with it for quite a while. The casting is on point, the direction is stylish – even if at times, it blatantly imitates early Scorsese – and the appropriate black humour works. El Angel offers us a confidently filmed biographical flick which is entertaining and has a pleasant vintage atmosphere (especially thanks to a well-chosen soundtrack). In the end, all my expectations about this film have been fulfilled. [Sitges 2018] (10/22/2018)