SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: ASSASSINATION TANGO

"ASSASSINATION TANGO"
(2003) (Robert Duvall, Luciana Pedrazza) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Mild	Extreme	Moderate	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Minor	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Mild	Minor	Moderate	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: While awaiting his target in Buenos Aires, a professional assassin becomes entranced by the tango and one of its dancers.

PLOT:

John J (ROBERT DUVALL) is a middle-aged man who's as fond of ballroom dancing as he is 10-year-old Jenny (KATHERINE MICHEAUX MILLER) who's the daughter of his live-in girlfriend, Maggie (KATHY BAKER). He's also a hitman whose latest assignment from boss Frankie (FRANK GIO) nearly overlaps Jenny's birthday.

He reluctantly accepts the job under the condition that he can be back for that and thus heads off for Buenos Aries. There, he meets Miguel (RUBEN BLADES) and Orlando (JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO) who want him to assassinate Humberto Rojas (ELVIO NESSIER), a retired but formerly barbaric general.

After meeting Frankie's Argentine counterpart, Tony Manas (RAUL OUTEADA), John sets out to fit into the surroundings and stake out his objective. While doing so, he comes across a dance hall where the sounds of the tango and the sight of one its dancers, Manuela (LUCIANA PEDRAZZA), immediately entrance him.

When he learns that his target's arrival is delayed and won't be arriving for three weeks, John sets out to learn more about Manuela and the dance, all while preparing for his hit.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast they might, but this doesn't otherwise seem attractive to most any kid regardless of their age.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language and some violence.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: ROBERT DUVALL plays a professional assassin who kills various people, but is extremely loving and protective of his live-in girlfriend's daughter. He's also enamored with dancing and uses strong profanity.
KATHY BAKER plays his live-in girlfriend who's unaware of John's real profession.
KATHERINE MICHEAUX MILLER plays her daughter who views John as a father figure.
LUCIANA PEDRAZZA plays the tango dancer and single mom who bewitches John.
RUBEN BLADES and JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO play two men who want John to assassinate a former ruthless general.
FRANK GIO plays John's boss or at least the man who assigns him his various hitman jobs.
RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.; KATHY BAKER plays his live-in girlfriend who's unaware of John's real profession.
KATHERINE MICHEAUX MILLER plays her daughter who views John as a father figure.
LUCIANA PEDRAZZA plays the tango dancer and single mom who bewitches John.
RUBEN BLADES and JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO play two men who want John to assassinate a former ruthless general.
FRANK GIO plays John's boss or at least the man who assigns him his various hitman jobs.
RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.; KATHERINE MICHEAUX MILLER plays her daughter who views John as a father figure.
LUCIANA PEDRAZZA plays the tango dancer and single mom who bewitches John.
RUBEN BLADES and JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO play two men who want John to assassinate a former ruthless general.
FRANK GIO plays John's boss or at least the man who assigns him his various hitman jobs.
RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.; LUCIANA PEDRAZZA plays the tango dancer and single mom who bewitches John.
RUBEN BLADES and JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO play two men who want John to assassinate a former ruthless general.
FRANK GIO plays John's boss or at least the man who assigns him his various hitman jobs.
RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.; RUBEN BLADES and JULIO OSCAR MECHOSO play two men who want John to assassinate a former ruthless general.
FRANK GIO plays John's boss or at least the man who assigns him his various hitman jobs.
RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.; FRANK GIO plays John's boss or at least the man who assigns him his various hitman jobs.
RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.; RAUL OUTEADA plays his Argentine counterpart who helps set up John's next hit.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a quick look at the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 21 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Sexual content includes the protagonist cheating on his live-in girlfriend by having sex with another woman (partially seen with sexual sounds).

Violence consists of a hitman shooting and killing several people, while a few other murders and other violence takes place (but only with mild amounts of blood). Some of those scenes and others might be disturbing or suspenseful to some viewers, while varying degrees of bad attitudes are present. Meanwhile, various characters drink and/or smoke.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Some people have drinks in a club.
John has a shot of liquor in front of him and appears to rub some of that on his hands and face (and then smells it).
John, Miguel, Orlando and their "aunt" and "uncle" raise their glasses of wine in a toast.
People have drinks in a club.
Some people have wine.
Various people have drinks.
John, Manuela and others briefly drink.

BLOOD/GORE: A murder victim has a tiny bit of blood on his shirt.
We see a dead man who has a bloody bullet hole in his cheek.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: John is a professional assassin who kills people for money.
Those who hire and/or try to double-cross John also have extreme cases of bad attitudes.
Some guys try to rob a woman off her purse and John steps in and apparently kills one of them (the other gets away).
John refers to someone as a spic.
John lies to Maggie about his line of work and his next assignment.
John tears up a photo and throws it out a window (littering).
John cheats on Maggie with a miscellaneous woman and then flirts with Manuela (he also admits cheating on Maggie in the past, but then says he doesn't know).
John steals some flowers from a street vendor and then kills a security guard.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might be unsettling, tense or suspenseful to some viewers.
John slowly approaches a man he intends to kill and then does so after a brief confrontation.
John returns to his previously discovered hide-out to find a gift and then has a close encounter with an armed man.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns: Used to shoot at and/or kill people. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "You f*ck," "Shove it up your f*cking ass," "Who the f*ck are you?" "Enough of your sh*t," "That's bullsh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Jerks," "Bastard," "Are you nuts?" "Pissed off," "Jeez" and "Kiss my ass."
A guy has a tattoo on his arm.
John tears up a photo and throws it out a window (littering).

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A minor bit of such music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 21 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 10 "s" words, 4 asses and 1 use of "Oh my God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: John crawls into bed with Maggie (nothing happens as she pretends to be asleep), but they're not a married couple.
We briefly see John in just his underwear.
We see a dark and silhouetted shot of John and a woman in bed (but can't see any details), hear some whispering and then hear some sexual sounds and heavy breathing.
Manuela's sister shows cleavage, as does their older aunt later. That aunt then jokingly states, "Grab yourself where it counts" as she grabs her own, clothed breasts. John briefly grabs his own clothed crotch.

SMOKING: Frankie smokes cigars several times, the General smokes once and various miscellaneous characters smoke in various scenes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: A woman gives John a photo of her son who's now dead.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Assassins.
The tango.
Stepparents and stepchildren.
Keeping one's promise.
Revenge.

VIOLENCE: Some guys try to rob a woman off her purse and John steps in and apparently kills one of them (the other gets away).
John repeatedly kicks a street phone in anger (and then kicks some garbage on the street).
John shoots and kills a security guard (we don't see the impact).
John kills a man at point blank range by shooting him in the chest (not graphic and later we only see a tiny bit of blood on the victim's shirt).
Some men grab another man, drag him out and then do the same to another man (and one man holds a gun to that man's head while he's on the ground).
After John holds a gun on a man, that man opens fire on him in a stairwell (and causes some property damage).
We see a dead man who has a bloody bullet hole in his cheek.
After a guy asks for his identification in an airport restroom, John shoots him dead (no blood).

Reviewed March 24, 2003 / Posted April 4, 2003

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