At the End of the Tunnel
I'm sure that there are a million stories like this one, happening every day and every night in cities all over the world. At the End of the Tunnel is your typical "meet cute"-rom-com-film-noir-caper-film: yes, another one of those.
One of the many paraplegic engineering technicians in Buenos Aires (they're everywhere!) rents rooms in his spacious house to an exotic dancer (of course!) and her mute six-year-old-daughter. Naturally the three of them get enmeshed in a bank heist: one of the many bank heists taking place in Buenos Aires (these happen all the time down there, I'm told). And yes, just as you'd expect in your typical Buenos Aires bank heist: a tunnel is involved. And once again, the excavation has been contracted out to the usual gang of nasty robbers; you know: the ones who like to bicker. It's the standard mix: a sadist; a Spaniard; a lesbian; and a couple of other less distinctive nasties. And of course there's a mysterious "mister big" behind it all. What better environment for our two protagonists (the paraplegic and the stripper, in case you're lost) to bond?
At the End of the Tunnel is genre fare, but it's entertaining genre fare, with plenty of twists and tension. Part of the fun is trying to spot the bits that have been stolen and/or borrowed and/or copied from other films. You'll find references to Rear Window and Shallow Grave; to The Maltese Falcon and Reservoir Dogs. No: this film won't win the Palme d'Or at Cannes—but I can think of worse ways to consume a bowl of popcorn.
