TRUMAN

3.5 stars (out of 5)

Barcelona-born co-writer/director Cesc Gay’s study of friendship and fate is often wryly funny and mercifully free of the wailing and hand-wringing that would surely fill any potential American remake, and his stars (and regular collaborators), Ricardo Darin and Javier Cámara, are both tremendous.

Theatre actor Julián (Darin, from last year’s Wild Tales and the original The Secret In Their Eyes) is surprised by a visit from his childhood friend Tomás (Cámara from last year’s Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed), who’s come all the way from his home in Canada. Tomás immediately makes the reason for his holiday clear: he’s there to talk Julián, who has terminal cancer, into accepting more treatment and not giving up to accept his fate with (supposed) dignity.

These two getting-on friends then spend several days travelling the suburbs of Madrid reminiscing, laughing, arguing, trying not to discuss the inevitable and making arrangements, especially for possible homes for Julián’s beloved Staffordshire terrier Truman (played by the lovely mutt Troilo, who’s fourth-billed in the end credits!). Tomás also finds himself reconnecting with Julián’s sister Paula (Dolores Fonzi), who dearly hopes that he can persuade her brother into not giving up as she doesn’t want to be left alone in the world.

Although some might suggest that this is a male-centric and Madrid-based variant of last year’s Miss You Already, there’s no doubt that Darin, Cámara and Fonzi’s restrained performances are most winning and that Truman/Troilo is one of the cinema’s great canine players (although the poor old woofer himself apparently passed away a few months after filming – naaaaaaaw). And have you noticed that there are quite a few movies around at the moment about characters dealing with the build-up to and/or aftermath of the death of someone close? You’d really have to assume, like it or not, that dying is a part of life.