RE:VIEW ~ “Gutiérrez is mai neim” (first series)
I’ve put off writing this, as I am of mixed feelings about the series. Often, humour doesn’t translate, because jokes often come from when social norms — which differ wildly around the world — are broken. Because this is a series primarily developed in Argentina, what shocks and makes people afraid is going to be the driving force behind the humour; which means at least some of the jokes won’t work for a Canadian viewer. For example, the ever-polite and never-critical-of-anyone-in-public people of Japan had talkshows which were once rife with guests saying to hosts such humorous bon-mots as that suit is so ugly and you are so fat! You’re fat! No, really, I mean this: you’re really fat!
You had to be Japanese, apparently.
But some of the things here really do harken back to the material of comics who are still heard stating ‘you can’t say anything anymore or you’ll get cancelled!’
There are some genuine ‘laugh-out-loud’ moments in the eight, half-hour episodes of the first series of episodes, but much of the rest relies on older jokes which have faded from acceptability here.
Here’s an example of one that’s on the border between the two categories: the original title of this Argentinean streaming series (seen above) is an approximation of the attempt by the main character to introduce himself using an appallingly slight grasp of the English language. The title for English-speaking markets is My Name is Gutiérrez, thereby eliminating the joke which could be seen as being based on making fun of a non-English speaker.
What’s happening in the scene that provides the phrase is that someone is being mocked for being incompetent when they said they could do something as complicated as providing a summary of a murder in a language they do not understand. If the facet of ’silly Argentinian can’t speak English, haw-haw-haw’ was stressed, that would clearly be bad. Were the tables turned, I couldn’t possibly manage in their version of Spanish as well as he did in mine (having visited Habana, Cuba a few years ago, I know this full-well).
Thankfully, it’s the first reason, not the second. The man was stupid enough to think he could manage it, so we are laughing at his over-confidence and inability revealing the truth, not how silly all Argentinians are.
But there are other things which make me feel a tad uneasy.
It’s taken as a predictable thing that the detectives of the Provincial police force are corrupt, so they are often seen taking ‘contributions’ from business owners who find themselves feckless without doing so. This would be seen as unacceptable for protagonists to be seen doing. We cannot like the police if they are crooked. Blame Dragnet for this, I suppose.
Other things which might be a part of a ‘buddy movie’ from the 1980s are seen, such as mocking one’s partner for having a relationship with someone known to all, the marginalizing of female coworkers (this one is subtle, but it’s there), and the basest of bodily function humour (thankfully there’s little of this).
In addition, there’s a bunch of ‘fat guys are funny when they run and fall down,’ which is body-shaming and dated material.
The problem with that is . . . that actually is funny. In a guilty way.
All of that said, there is an interesting story here involving the murder of the Ambassador to Argentina for the Russian Federation. All sorts of national interests are suggested as being involved: the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China, and the United States of America. Due to the U.S.A. wanting very much to absolve themselves of responsibility, they provide assistance in the form of the C.I.A. personnel and equipment. Their use of foreign soil to attack another major nation’s official representatives is always ‘bad,’ but given their historical involvement and backing of Operation Condor, things get especially important to clear the nation of being a part of.
This leads to all sorts of situations where the Americans arrive at places to collect evidence or suspects nearly the same time as the main characters do, making the provincial force seem incompetent. The depiction of them is certainly conducive to the conclusion, as they are woefully underfunded and insufficiently trained for this level of international intrigue. Much of this humour is valid in my view.
It’s good to see stories from other nations, cultures, and perspectives. It is through that that our views are broadened, and we get a deeper understanding of what life is like in another place for another variety of human being. For that reason this programme is worth checking out.
I just didn’t dig the four hours enough to say that it’s great.
Meh . . . it’s okay . . .
★★☆☆☆