Dictators belong in jail.

In the role of prosecutor Julio Strassera, responsible for the first convictions of the military commanders of the Argentine dictatorship, Ricardo Darín has a very special function. He lends his credibility and empathy with the public to portray a national hero. At the same time, Darín provides the mark of an ordinary man, endowed with frailties, that usually characterizes his characters.

Strassera carried the shadow of having acted passively during the dictatorship, having even denied... habeas corpus to several political prisoners. With the end of the military regime and the arrival of Raul Alfonsín to power, he was appointed, initially against his will, prosecutor of the only civilian court that would accuse military leaders worldwide. He feared being used by the Alfonsín government, which maintained a discourse of incriminating the resistance and had many ties with influential people in the dictatorship. He rejected those who offered to help him on the condition of "being careful" with the accusations. 

Argentine, 1985 This process is described from the personal perspective of Strassera, nicknamed "The Madman": the journey of a somewhat faltering, but ultimately fearless hero. The journey is narrated on three levels: at home, he listens to Wagner and is encouraged and admired by his wife (Alejandra Flechner) and son (Santiago Armas Estevarena), while the family receives death threats.

In his mission to gather evidence against the military juntas, he sees his former friends refuse to cooperate, co-opted by the aftermath of fascism. Thus, he assembles a team of young, inexperienced but shrewd lawyers willing to take the risks of the undertaking. This is the point that allows director Santiago Mitre to create moments of humor amidst the prevailing tension for the rest of the film. Strassera even has the help of a friend who is a theater director. Meanwhile, the deputy prosecutor (Peter Lanzani), his right-hand man, belongs to a military family and brings to the story the contrast between two generations divided by the nascent redemocratization of the country.

In court, the prosecutor finally adopts a firm but measured stance, not allowing himself to be intimidated by the fascists who opposed him, even those who barked cries of military insurrection. The trial scenes include accounts of kidnappings, torture, rape, and barbarities committed by the regime. Justice would arrive, in Strassera's words, "based not on forgetting, but on memory." 

Although unsatisfactory, the convictions resulting from that first trial paved the way for others to come and served as an example for the trial of dictators in Latin America. The contrast with the impunity that prevailed in Brazil, for example, is shameful. This explains why the praise for torture uttered by Bolsonaro, himself a product of impunity, goes unpunished. 

The film maintains an impeccable pace and constantly seeks scenic effect without sacrificing sobriety. A balance worthy of a consistent filmmaker like Mitre (The Student, PaulinaWe are faced with the solid dramaturgy of Argentine cinema, featuring an impeccable cast, a meticulous period reconstruction, and, in this case, a lavish production bearing the Amazon Studios seal.  
>> Argentine, 1985 It's on the Amazon Prime platform.

The trailer: