“An afternoon in Monte Carlo” by Vaintino

It is sometimes very hard to judge a feature film done with low budget, because you keep thinking about how it could have been if some courageous producer would have invested, for once in a while, in something different, in a gamble.This is the sensation we have when we watch “An afternoon in Monte Carlo”, directed, written, edited and mixed by Vaintino.

Every element in this story has all the potential for a winning movie and a very successful indie film: an intriguing story, a fascinating setting, some really nice ideas of narration – like the two guys playing blackjack – and a very good instinct for direction, staging and film rhythm. Even the casting has been done with all the good intentions: faces are right for the characters, costumes give them some extra depth, and the psychology that emerges from the script looks very accurate.

We can say with no doubts that the major value of this movie lies in the screenplay, where the author was free to write with no problem with costs or budget. Instead, cinematography suffers a lot from the lack of proper lens work and budget and it is often very flat and tv-like. Sound is also lacking quality and very often there are some problems and flaws.

As we follow the adventure of Rivers hoping that he will finally make it, we constantly wish for this director and his crew that they will have the chance to show this work to a producer that is capable of seeing further.

Framed by a beautiful poster, this feature film is the proof that the only obstacle to making movies is laziness, and if you love this art you have to follow your instinct, even if the whole world is trying to hinder you.