Overview

• The film’s Argentine premiere this week has drawn criticism for its uneven blend of sentimental and political storytelling.
• Steve Coogan stars as a middle-aged Tom Michell in Peter Cattaneo’s adaptation rather than the twenty-something teacher of the memoir.
• Screenwriters introduced a fictional political subplot in which a school employee is kidnapped by parapolice forces.
• Production took place largely in Spain’s Canary Islands, using golden-hued cinematography to represent 1970s Buenos Aires.
• Despite its title, the movie is a drama rated for viewers over thirteen, not a lighthearted animal tale.