>_"What you're saying is modern bullshit."_

This is the second time I watch _NERUDA_ and the second time I'm left with the same afterthought: I'd like this focused more on Peluchonneau and, ironically, less on Neruda himself. Don't get me wrong, I don't think this is a bad movie. In fact, I find it to be a refreshing experimental approach to Neo-noir that is also in part biopic. A movie that blends between reality and fiction, both in its story and in its look. And it is precisely because of this, that I believe _NERUDA_ would have benefited from focusing more solely on Peluchonneau. When the story focused on Peluchonneau, Larraín got room to speak through the images we saw, it had room to breathe, and the story moved even though it was slowly but it build up the intensity of the persecution, as the Neo-noir romanticized the narrative of the two men on opposing sides of the law. But when the story focused on Neruda, at times it felt dull and at times it felt like it was going nowhere, he visited places and read poetry but it stopped the narrative and took all the room, so he had to speak because the images stopped communicating the message as a result. With Peluchonneau not only was Larraín able to speak through the images while Gael García did virtually nothing, but García's presence intensified the narrative making it more interesting, and blending fiction and reality more intensely as each minute passed. In the end, however, the stories of both Peluchonneau and Neruda fall secondary to the style and, although this isn't as much of a problem with García's character, when it started to become apparent was when trying to focus on and show us both characters equally as much, removing whatever mystery there is left to the story.

**Chile's own catch me if you can!**

It was Chile's Oscars pick. It made into Golden Globe, but not the Oscars. After I disliked his previous film, looks Larrain back in action. Though, not entirely. This was a biopic, more or less a Chilean version of 'Catch Me If You Can' with a less intensity in its contents. If you are a fan of this director's narration then you might enjoy it. But I thought it was a little boring, due to slow moving story. Especially, half of the film was a background narration than the direct dialogues between the characters. The issue was, it was like someone in the bed, ill and they are narrating a tale. Too low voice like whispering which is equal to lullaby.

On the other hand, now and then there were some fine scenes. It was a cat-mouse game. But nothing thrilling enough like you would expect from a cop chasing a bad guy films. The story was not deep or detail. Only those limited life events of Neruda were present on the screen. Most of them were silly ones, or maybe made it to look like that way. That's why it felt like a dark comedy. From the cop's perspective, don't expect like Sherlock Holmes level. The cast was good. The locations too, but not those projectors clips for backgrounds during vehicles scenes. So just an above average film. Though should have been better.

**6/10**