Official Competition

IFC Films | Release Date: June 17, 2022

7.3	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Ratings

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Brent_MarchantJul 2, 2022

Oh, to be a revered film industry artist. It affords so many opportunities for meaningful creative expression – especially when one is full of oneself. So it is for a trio of collaborators – one director and two rival actors, all of whom haveOh, to be a revered film industry artist. It affords so many opportunities for meaningful creative expression – especially when one is full of oneself. So it is for a trio of collaborators – one director and two rival actors, all of whom have personal and professional agendas, styles all their own, and egos the size of the Europe – as they struggle to make a movie financed by a wealthy, 80-year-old pharmaceutical company executive who’s more concerned with the legacy that he’s leaving than producing great cinematic art. As they’re thrown together for this project, they seek fulfillment in their respective milieus, even if it means stepping on one another’s toes and pulling scams to achieve their desired ends. And, through it all, viewers are treated to the principals’ innocuous, pseudo-profound wisdom about creativity, life, humility and hubris. Writer-directors Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, along with screenplay colleague Andrés Duprat, have cooked up a deliciously wicked dark comedy/satire that skewers the movie industry, the arthouse film community and the festival circuit with wry, hilarious wit and sight gags, splendidly played out by Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martínez, all of whom turn in some of their best-ever work here. The masterfully written script delivers the goods with perfect understatement and just enough believable insincerity yet raucously nasty bits to make everything work just about perfectly. There’s a slight tendency for the pacing to drag at the outset, but, in light of everything else it offers, who cares? For those who enjoy their comedy with a sharp edge accompanied by hefty doses of unbridled comeuppance, this one is for you.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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LisaLR1Jul 10, 2022

OFFICIAL COMPETITION offers a satirical look into the making of a movie involving all its egos and eccentricities. A wealthy businessman at the twilight of his life and career decides to leave his legacy by producing a film. He hires wellOFFICIAL COMPETITION offers a satirical look into the making of a movie involving all its egos and eccentricities. A wealthy businessman at the twilight of his life and career decides to leave his legacy by producing a film. He hires well known director Lola Cuevas (Penelope Cruz), known for her eccentric filmmaking style, to direct his movie. Lola chooses 2 leading men to headline the movie, the famous, pretentious film actor Felix Rivero (Antonio Banderas) and seasoned theater actor and acting teacher Ivan Torres (Oscar Martinez). What follows are funny, satirical pokes at the trials, tribulations, quirky rehearsals and ever looming egos involved in the world of cinema and filmmaking. OFFICIAL COMPETITION is an intelligent film, offers smooth comedic timing with masterful performances and great chemistry between actors Cruz, Banderas and Martinez.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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MlottmanJul 5, 2022

Huge fun! See it in a movie theater, where the contrast between grand architectural spaces and wry farce ramps up the humor.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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KikedvsJun 21, 2022

Penélope is amazing. Great movie and so funny. I love movies about cinema.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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bertobellamyJun 20, 2022

'Official Competition' tries to be something like 'The Square,' but it doesn't even come close.

This satire about an elderly millionaire who wants to make a movie to leave a "legacy," hiring the most popular and award-winning artists in the'Official Competition' tries to be something like 'The Square,' but it doesn't even come close.

This satire about an elderly millionaire who wants to make a movie to leave a "legacy," hiring the most popular and award-winning artists in the field, is sustained thanks to the performances of its three protagonists. Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, and Óscar Martínez are great; their chemistry is the core of the story, and while not hilarious, several comedic moments that poke fun at the pretense and ego that often exists in this setting are on point.

The main problem is the long duration, its redundancy, and the little character development; we're simply facing a series of vignettes that intend to comment on artistic creation. And just as there are good moments of comedy, there are other very basic ones, especially the one about the virility of Antonio Banderas' character.

'Official Competition' ends up being something like "The Man Who Sold His Skin." Either way, I think that one entertained me more than this one.… Expand