Joaquín Furriel
Lorenzo
The Son
“Do you really know who is caring for your child?”
2019
1h 32m
Director: Sebastián Schindel
Overview
Painter Lorenzo's life spirals out of control as he fears his wife is trying to isolate him from their infant son.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
3 min readThe Unseen Hand
I’ve watched The Son twice now, and both times I’ve left the screen feeling like I’ve just emerged from a slow, suffocating dream—one where the air is thick with something unspoken, something just out of reach. That’s the paradox of Sebastián Schindel’s thriller: it’s a film about paranoia that makes you feel paranoid, not because it’s loud or frantic, but because it’s so damn quiet. The tension isn’t in what happens; it’s in what might happen, in the spaces between the glances, the pauses in the dialogue, the way a character’s grip tightens on a coffee cup just a second too long.
The premise is deceptively simple: Lorenzo (Joaquín Furriel), a painter, begins to suspect that his wife, Julieta (Martina Gusmán), is trying to cut him out of their infant son’s life. At first, it’s small things—a canceled doctor’s appointment, a misplaced baby monitor, a nanny who seems just a little too present. But soon, Lorenzo’s suspicions curdle into something darker, more consuming.
The film doesn’t so much escalate as it does deepen, like a bruise spreading under the skin. There’s no grand conspiracy here, no villain twirling their mustache. Just the creeping dread of a man who might be losing his mind, or might be right all along.
Schindel’s direction is methodical, almost clinical in its precision. This isn’t a filmmaker who relies on jump scares or cheap thrills. Instead, he trusts the audience to sit with the unease, to let it settle in their bones.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
Audience 7.2/10
"A tense and well-acted thriller that struggles with pacing and narrative depth."
Viewers appreciate the strong performances, particularly from Joaquín Furriel and Martina Gusmán, which add intensity to the thriller's atmosphere. latestnetflix.com's read is that however, some find the story slow-moving and lacking in originality, with underdeveloped side characters failing to elevate the plot beyond its familiar crime-drama framework.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performances Joaquín Furriel and Martina Gusmán deliver compelling performances that anchor the film’s tension and emotional weight.
- Atmospheric tension The film’s moody visuals and suspenseful tone create an engaging, if occasionally uneven, thriller experience.
Common complaints
- Slow pacing The narrative drags in places, testing patience with its deliberate but sometimes meandering storytelling.
- Familiar plot The crime-thriller framework feels predictable, offering few surprises for genre-savvy viewers.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting roles lack depth, making it harder to invest in the broader story beyond the leads.
Recommended for
Thriller enthusiasts Fans of intense character studies Argentine cinema lovers Slow-burn drama seekers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe Son (2019): A Psychological Thriller’s Rocky Road from Argentina to the Oscars
Sebastián Schindel’s The Son (2019) arrived with the weight of expectation. The Argentine director, known for his sharp pivot from documentaries to narrative features, delivered a psychological thriller starring Joaquín Furriel and Martina Gusmán. latestnetflix.com's read is that but while the film earned praise for its tense storytelling, its journey—from production to awards season—was far from smooth.
A Director’s Shift: From Docs to Dark Dramas
Schindel, born in Buenos Aires in 1975, built his reputation on award-winning documentaries before transitioning to fiction. His narrative work, particularly in the thriller and crime genres, has been marked by a knack for psychological tension 
. The Son was no exception, leaning into the director’s signature style: slow-burn suspense with a focus on human frailty. The film’s 92-minute runtime suggests a tight, no-frills approach, but whether that brevity worked in its favor remains debated.
Casting and Reception: Mixed Reviews, Modest Scores
Headlined by Furriel (The Clan, The Secret in Their Eyes) and Gusmán (Carancho, Leonera), The Son assembled a cast with serious Argentine cinema credentials. Yet critical reception was lukewarm. On SensCritique, the film holds a 5.2/10 rating from 286 votes, a middling score that reflects divided opinions . Rotten Tomatoes’ page for the movie lists the same lead cast but offers no aggregated score, hinting at limited mainstream traction.
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The film’s trailers—including one official cut and a reaction video —teased a gripping narrative, but some viewers found the payoff underwhelming. YouTube discussions, like a spoiler-heavy ending breakdown , suggest the twist-heavy finale left audiences split: some praised its boldness, while others called it convoluted.
**Oscars Snub: Why Did The Son Flop?**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZKvqdxNfso
The Son’s biggest setback might have been its Oscar campaign. A dedicated video explores why the film failed to gain traction in the awards race, though the evidence doesn’t specify exact reasons. Possible factors include:
- Genre limitations: Psychological thrillers often struggle in major categories unless they’re Parasite-level game-changers.
- Distribution challenges: Argentine films, even well-made ones, rarely secure the kind of global push needed for Oscar buzz.
- Mixed critical reception: Without a strong consensus (or a Rotten Tomatoes score to rally behind), the film may have lacked the momentum for nominations.
The Verdict: A Flawed but Fascinating Effort
The Son isn’t a forgotten masterpiece, but it’s not a flop either. For fans of Schindel’s work, it’s another entry in his growing filmography of dark, character-driven stories. For general audiences, it’s a reminder that even well-cast, competently made thrillers can get lost in the shuffle—especially when the ending sparks more debate than applause.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.