Movie review: Private Tropical 40 "Boroka does the Caribbean" (2008) (Tarra Wait, Nasty Nice, Boroka Calls, Lucy Selle, Leigh Dogan)

 

Escape. Leaving everything behind without fear. Leaving the void toward an uncertain future but escaping from a past that is clearly dark... Escaping from the everyday is the leitmotif of this feature film by Max Bellocchio, the 40th in the Tropical saga, a film with several Ascor Award nominations. We have to be honest and admit that the saga has been in free fall for several installments now, bereft of ideas and with an alarming lack of plot.

Boroka does the Caribbean

TRAILER Boroka does the Caribbean

The idea of ​​exploring this abandonment of monotony under the childish influence of believing oneself invincible is rich in meaning, although the Neapolitan director once again errs on the side of words. This, far from being the result of a poorly crafted script, is motivated by Bellocchio's view of his loyal viewers as mature individuals who embrace intricate, obtuse, and, at times, hermetic cinema; cinema that leaves room for the imagination and encourages self-composition in the face of existing gaps.

In the first scene, we are already in the Dominican Republic and meet Adam, an office automation teacher who also runs his own computer repair company (Adam Virtual Solutions), and Keisha, an interior decorator who has come to live in La Romana to spruce up the villas of the wealthy Americans who have Trump as their alter ego.

Detail of the book Keisha is reading, which is by the prestigious decorator Cindy Rinfret. Always learning

More pleasure in decorating homes than in choosing jewelry.

Adam greets Keisha, who is there because she's been decorating the villa for the past month on behalf of Tanya, a manager of a resort and villa company. Adam has come to return the formatted computer to Boroka, who is staying there. Keisha and Adam know each other because they both have a professional relationship with Tanya. In that brief encounter, Keisha shares all the gossip about Boroka, whom she has befriended during her visits to the villa.

Boroka came to the Dominican Republic on vacation, fleeing a sad love affair. Just days before her wedding to her fiancé, she caught him red-handed sleeping with her best friend in what was supposed to be their marital bed. Boroka rented this villa a week ago for $3,000 a day and traveled to La Romana looking for revenge. One of the first things she did upon landing was delete all the photos from the hard drive, so as not to give rise to the memories and the pain. For that task, she hired Adam on the recommendation of Tanya, the manager of the resorts and villas.

Adam hands over the computer, finds out the nitty-gritty, and wants payment "in natural"

Interior room of Villa Punta Minitas 12 where the scene takes place (same sofas, same table lamp and same wooden doors)

Adam has a friend with whom he spends his vacations, mostly with foreigners recently arrived from Europe, collecting these kinds of underground payments. However, Marco isn't available because he's anchored on his yacht in a nearby cove with his girlfriend. Keisha recommends that he not wait for him and go say hi to Boroka (or Boka, as his friends call him) right away.

Logo of Adam's IT company

Marco surfing with his girlfriend (who is crouching in this frame)

Lacoste sponsors this scene with the same polo shirt worn by George Bull in Lex & Lies in the Caribbean

Adam heads out into the garden of Villa Punta Minitas 12, now without his computer, which he's left in the cool air in the living room, to meet Boroka. This villa is a sumptuous (and expensive) mansion located in La Romana Country Club. I'll first introduce the graphic information about this wonderful home with a garden and pool.

¡Book this room Booking!

 Google maps aerial view

A true earthly paradise

It looks like a scene worthy of the series Tropical Heat with Rob Stewart

Boroka looks at him with absolute indifference, like a domestic cat would do when it sees its owner come home after a tiring day at work.

After a somewhat abrupt initial exchange, after Adam introduces himself as Tanya's friend, the conversation begins to flow and they reach an agreement. Tanya is involved in every conversation, but we haven't met her yet, which sparks curiosity among the viewer. Finally, Boroka accepts this payment in "natural" form, but Adam must include his girlfriend, and he will choose a beautiful natural location, either a beach or a rainforest, to carry out the transaction.

"There's no time to waste..."

"Stop Mr Bull"

Ok then, see you...

In the next scene, we finally meet Tanya, the hotel manager who also organizes copulation swarms between tourists and locals, to earn a little extra money and other benefits. Truth be told, Tanya has thrown herself halfway around the island, thinking and doing. In this conversation by the seaside, Tanya introduces them to Suzanne, a girl who will be standing in for Boroka, since Boroka doesn't seem available for the next two days at the moment. The Frenchman, a guy stronger than a Robocop turd, gladly accept the substitution.

Tanya is sponsored by O´Neill, surfing brand that didn't want to leave the tropical saga, even though it sponsors a neckline that has more plastic than the Motagua River.

At the same time, Adam goes with his girlfriend to Punta Minitas 12 to meet Boka before the big day. We already know the reason why Boka isn't available to anyone...

This is the last time we'll see the Punta Minitas 12 villa, which symbolizes that Boroka's cushion for this vacation of escape and relaxation has dwindled considerably (the mansion rents for $3,000 a day, remember). From this moment on, Boroka will stay at the hotel Tanya manages, the Hotel Caserma Bayahibe, which has previously appeared in major films in the series such as Puerto Rican Affairs and On Vacation with My Slim Sister.

Boroka, Adam and his girlfriend go on a picnic at the beach

Occult symbology...

The next scene, which might seem uninteresting, introduces us to Samantha, who is in an open relationship with the French boy. It's all mere trifles and desires: Tanya is smitten with Samantha, but Samantha, in turn, wants to have a sexual dalliance with Adam... However, if you stop and think, you can read between the lines and you'll be amazed.

There's so much love to give (to offer), and Samantha talks about it all while sitting on Mount Zion (the name of the small boat), which has great significance. The sage Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yotjaki), born in France and Jewish, is considered the most illustrious analyst of the Bible and the Talmud, and for Rashi, Mount Zion is the source of joy: the place where offerings were made.

Samantha is announcing offerings to a Frenchman (the same nationality as Rashi) while sitting on the source of joy, from which all happiness emanates. Sublime.

Boroka living again in a place of his status

Corner of the Caserma Hotel with the same metal chairs and stairs.

Tanya tells Boroka that her plane was recently delayed six hours and she missed her office automation class with Adam. Tanya wants to further her education so she can move to another Caribbean country with more upscale tourism in the future.

It's surprising that Boroka and Tanya have become close friends in just a few days of stay. It's true that a client who pays you $3,000 a night at Punta Minitas 12 is a client worth taking care of. Now Tanya is going to try to organize a unique experience for her before Boroka returns to London and suffers the boredom of life once again.

They have become soul friends in a week

At night, Tanya talks with her friend to plan Boroka's latest adventures. She wants to return to the United Kingdom, completely renewed and feeling like she's wreaked havoc on her fiancé for cheating on her. In return, Tanya will be able to spend time with Samantha, her secret love.

This is probably the sofa at the Caserma Hotel where the great actors Jorg Skopje and Tarra Wait sat to film this scene.

The next day, Adam the IT guy fills the water tank with fresh water and takes Tanya to the Our Father cactus forest in Eastern National Park... under the pretext of making up for the computer science class. There, however, he has a surprise for her.

 (here you can see that Tanya, wearing a skirt, just pricked herself on the cactus trunk).

Samantha is waiting for them and Tanya can finally fulfill her dream

The LGBTI community receives tremendous support here from Max Bellocchio, who ultimately unites the characters of Samantha and Tanya, two lesbians who refused to accept their role in society out of fear. As Iván Sotelo said, in a world of appearances, being who you really are can be considered sinister or crazy. Now Tanya and Samantha will give free rein to their purest love, and it shouldn't be considered either crazy or sinister.

Here in this link you can read more about this National Park and their 20 feet height cactus 

Last sunset at La Romana

The film ends with a warm farewell between Tanya and Boroka, playing the role of manager and client respectively at the beginning of the film, but with a strong friendship to conclude the nearly two-hour runtime. A beautiful story of friendship, love, and a moral: if you're in the middle of the desert, keep walking. Boroka was wounded in London and traveled to the Caribbean in search of the most primal and earthly happiness.

Tanya (Tarra Wait) at the entrance of the Caserma Hotel saying goodbye to her VIP client: Boroka

Tanya's happiness with her Mitsubishi Pajero (Montero) in the background

Thanks before boarding the Hyundai H-1 heading to Punta Cana Airport

This final detail, comparing a brand-new Mitsubishi all-road vehicle with a practical and plebeian Hyundai van, is masterful and reminds the viewer that while Tanya remains in paradise living the only life she has, Boroka returns to London, already in the red, to work at a burger joint on the suburban railway, or worse.

As a kind of end, I end with a poem by Bertolt Brecht, and it is that poor Boroka's fiancé has killed her in life, leaving her like a bewildered compass: "There are many ways to kill. They can stick a knife in your stomach, take away your bread, fail to cure you of a bad illness, force you into bad housing, force you to commit suicide, drive you to war... only a few of these things are prohibited under the rule of law."

THE END

RATING: 1/10

Info:

Private Tropical 40 "Boroka does the Caribbean"

Year: 2008

Genre of the plot: travel

Paradise destination: Dominican Republic

Actors: George Bull, Tarra Wait, Boroka Calls, Nasty Nice, Lucy Selle, Leigh Dogan, Jorg Skopje

Where can I find it: Private or Google

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