This is an amazing movie. It describes the perfect lifestyle of an Argentinian man/family/relationships. It may sound weird that my comment is so different from the previous one, but if you want to know how a middle-class family is, this is an incredible portrait from it. Daniel Hendler and Julieta Diaz are two of the best young actors we have and they mix up with well-known actors as Adriana Aizemberg. It it a must see; it's funny, sad and moving. If you're not Argentinian you may not get all of it OR you may appreciate our ways in different aspects of life. If you go deeper and you want to know something more that your own country, don't miss the chance and see it.

I found this review today, I love the film! Its excellent, charming and you must see the little boy...

The drama begins with the voice-over narration of Perelman (Daniel Hendler),a lawyer in Buenos Aires who teaches at a university. He's talking about the habits of his father, Perelman Sr. (Arturo Goetz),a popular and successful barrister who meets with his clients where they work or in restaurants so he can size them up in a personal setting. He is very close to his secretary (Adriana Aizemberg) since his wife is dead. Work fills his days, and his son his astonished by his energy. Perelman Jr. has a rather lackadaisical lifestyle.

 

After lusting after Sandra (Julieta Diaz),a looker in his class, Perelman Jr. marries her, and she starts teaching pilates in their apartment. They have a son, Gaston (Eloy Burman),who turns out be quite the little charmer. Perelman Jr.'s office building is shut down for a month, and he is given some time off, but he doesn't share this news Sandra. Asked at school to participate in a program, he rebels but eventually capitulates.

 

Family Law explores in a realistic and touching way the emotional barriers that often block intimate conversation between fathers and sons. Perelman Jr. intuits that something different is going on with his father but does not ask him about it. He forgets to buy a birthday present for his father's 65th birthday and is embarrassed to admit it.

 

Many sons are intimidated by their larger-than-life fathers and spend a lot of time hiding in their shadows. Perelman Jr.'s lack of drive comes through in his relationship with Sandra as well. He has the habit of falling into bed at night and sleeping in his shirt and tie. She is very patient with his foibles and when she goes away for the first time since the birth of their son, she hopes that her husband will be able to manage without her.

 

Daniel Hendler puts in a rounded and relaxed performance as the underwhelming Perelman Jr., a young man who slowly comes into his own. Family Law is the official entry from Argentina for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Awards.

David Burman's 'Derecho De Familia' (or Family Law,as it is being distributed in English speaking countries)is a tale of a young man who has become something of a mirror image of his father,another lawyer. The only difference is that Perelman,Jr.teaches law at the local university (never named),while his father,Perelman,Sr. practices law. Both share an office in a building that has seen better days (and is currently being refurbished,due to a cave in of one of the upper floors,leaving both generations of Perelman's out of work). Perelman Jr. has to try & fake the fact that he is out of work,and makes up any excuse to cover up. His wife is something of a "new age" trainer in Pilates (?). All of this (and more)make for a (so called)comedy that never really goes anywhere (but does try like the dickens to mimic one of those French family based films). David Burman writes & directs this mostly unfunny attempts at a comedy on family values that is obviously influenced by the late,great Francois Truffaut,but falls flat. The cast includes,Daniel Hendler,Julieta Diaz,Arturo Goetz,Eloy Burman & Luis Albornoz. Spoken in Spanish with English subtitles. Not rated by the MPAA,but contains some rude language,adult content & toilet humour.