Problemista

Against all expectations, an odd-couple friendship develops. Or so this needy, Kaufmanesque indie would have us believe. In practice, however, Swinton is massively overblown and Torres too wispy and diffident to balance things out.

Problemista is undeniably inventive, but it’s also rather joyless and ultimately infuriating. Like a Slinky that refuses to walk down stairs.

It’s full of implausible cod-adorable happy-sad touches, the filmic equivalent of a decaf oat latte with a sprinkling of vegan gummy bears.

I want [Julio Torres] to get better as a director... But he's a wonderful actor and a really smart writer.

A whimsical fish-out-of-water tale following a toymaker navigating the U.S. immigration system, Problemista is a deeply considered, fantastical tromp through a mundane wonderland.

An inventive, whimsical and delightfully oddball story of the immigrant experience, "Problemista" marks the promising writing and directing debut of Julio Torres.

Problemista is a singular, wildly original vision that knows exactly how to temper one over-the-top protagonist with her perfect foil

While many details might be silly, and scenes often play out as wildly imaginative fantasies with engaging on-set effects, the underlying story has a vivid emotionality that catches us off guard.

Problemista stands as a triumph of storytelling. Torres invites us into a world where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where dreams collide with harsh realities, and where the journey is as illuminating as the destination.

Problemista is only partially satisfying and easy to overlook, but hope is its last word - even if it means achieving things forcibly - and some aspects addressed are so true that they stay with you.