3.5/5

 i stumbled upon this movie when i was reading about "the Poughkeepsie Tapes". The rating was just better than average at IMDb but the synopsis of the story seemed interesting enough to give it a shot. And what an adrenaline shot this turned out to be!
Arkin cases a house to commit an easy robbery as the house owners are going on a two week trip. he has to clear some old debts for his wife who has loan sharks looking for her. the fun or rather unprecedented thrill and violence start when he steps into the house and finds that there are traps all over the house planted by a sadist.
the traps are innovative and the methods of killing people are ingenuous. The gore quotient is pretty high in some scenes so this is definitely not for the squeamish at hear. the dialogues are minimal and the tempo is maintained by the director by the help of kick ass music.
The acting is competent. the movie made on a budget of 6 million earned 7 million at the box office and also led to a sequel "the collection" which i plan to check out soon.
going to bed with the pleasure that only comes with finding something really good in the most unexpected of places. give this a try. i can guarantee that you will be at the edge of your seat for the better part of 80 minutes. superior stuff.

A story of family man's unique idea of money earning by keeping a costed public toilet for the pilgrims during the visit of Pope John Paul II. It was 1988 in Melo, a Uruguayan town of Brazil, where people economically struggling. Local mobile customs enforcement is always on form in the town's border to check whether nickel or dime smiggled in people's things and belongings who are crossing in and out. Beto, a family man, who is actually doing what the mobile customes restricts. Many times they chased him but he storms from them with his bicycle but one fine day he was caught. This leads him not to do the same business and he forced to the situation of do some legal business to earn money for his family living. By the time, news publishing that Pope John Paul II visiting the town. This flashing idea to the citizens of Melo to earn money by keeping stores and resorts for the pilgrim. By the way, Beto also decided to earn money by this, but quite differently that to built a toilet for the pilgrims and cost to use it. He bargains money from a person (Of course a mobile customs officer who already handcuffed that he smuggled) who voluntarily come forward to help him. With that money, he built toilet but at the last moment on the day of pope's visit, the same person troubling Beto for not concerning him. The next 40mins of the movies goes on how he earns, borrows and struggles to built the toilet. The last 10mins will be heartstabbing on Beto's situation to outcome of his problems to achieve his desire.

César Charlone(Cinematographer of "CITY OF GOD") & Enrique Fernández written and directed this movie. The film goes very realistic with some fun, embarrass, love of family and ends with a joyful touch.

Winner of Audience Award, Golden Kikito, Kikito Critics Prize in 07's Gramado Film Festival, Winner of Silver Condor in 10's Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards, Winner in 08's Guadalajara Mexican Film Festival, 07's Huelva Latin American Film Festival, 08's Lleida Latin-American Film Festival, 07's San Sebastián International Film Festival & São Paulo International Film Festival.

Thanks to Vaishnav Sangeeth!