Problemista Movie Review (2023)

A modern and whimsical tale, Problemista is about an El Salvadorian man trying to live the American dream as a toy maker while navigating employment and immigration issues.

Any time that you see that Tilda Swinton is going to be in a movie, you can be sure that it’ll have some flair. One of the few modern actors who makes both wild and calculated choices (at the same time), Swinton is truly an anomaly in the best way. Her presence doesn’t ensure that the film will be great, but you can be confident that it will have some unique twist.

Problemista centers around Alejandro, a young man from El Salvador who is living in the states, attempting to make his dream of working at Hasbro as a toy maker reality. In the meantime, he is working at a company that cryogenically freezes artists, and he is a caretaker for Bobby, a man who painted portraits of eggs. When Alejandro makes a mistake and gets fired, he has only 30 days to figure out who else can sponsor his work visa.

From the second that Isabella Rosellini’s voice began to narrate this story in front of a light and playful score, it was clear that this was something different. Alejandro’s mother builds him a playhouse that looks like a fairy castle in dreamland, there is a sparkly Craigslist spirit that whispers to him from a different dimension, and there are some stunning visual sequences, like Alejandro climbing from one connected dollhouse box to another to demonstrate how absurdly the visa process works.

The story itself is half based in reality and half an oddity. It is also heightened because of Elizabeth, Bobby’s wife, financial supporter of his body and manager of his estate. Elizabeth is a character that upends Alejandro’s life, and makes you feel the same way as the viewer. She is eccentric, defensive, and exceptionally rooted in the past on anything computer related. She is not particularly likeable, and yet, she is kind of a wonder. Tilda Swinton owns this character and is unpredictable at all times.

While I enjoyed the film, I found a strange lack of momentum in the first two acts. I liked it, and I was invested in seeing where the odd little story went (egg paintings, Cabbage Patch Dolls, a single drink that leaves your living body ready for freezing, and everything), but it felt like it moved slowly. This could be a choice, as Alejandro is racing slowly against the sand in the hourglass to find a work visa, or it could be because of the editing. I’m unsure.

But, the last 20 minutes, I absolutely, undeniably loved. I loved it. There is a rush of feeling and a huge turn in investment into the characters – at least for me. I enjoyed the first part, but the last bit is absolutely where it’s at.

Written by, directed by, and starring Julio Torres as Alejandro, Problemista is an incredibly distinctive film with its own style and vision. It’s also an excellent commentary on the complicated mess that is the visa process in the United States. This movie touches on a lot.

Runtime: 104 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: R

Languages Spoken In The Film: English and Spanish with English subtitles

Should You Watch It? Yes

Did I Cry? Nope

My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Available: Free on Max, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms