Rating: 
Summary: compelling performance in an uneven film
Review: In "Assassination Tango," a film for which he provided both script and direction, Robert Duvall plays an aging professional killer who also happens to be a tango aficionado. Like the gangsters in "The Godfather," John J. Anderson is able to compartmentalize the morally contradictory elements of his life: he can gun down in cold blood a total stranger, while at the same time lavishing limitless love and affection on his girlfriend and the ten-year old "stepdaughter" whom he worships and adores. When he is sent to Buenos Aires to take out a disreputable retired general, John falls in love with both a lovely young dancer and the style of "genuine" tango dancing to which she introduces him."Assassination Tango," despite the unsavory elements of the story, is a quiet, muted film that is more about this strangely paradoxical character than it is about either assassination or tango. John is a man who has kept his emotions pretty well in check his whole life and now, as he begins to see the end of that life coming, he feels the need to make some kind of meaningful connection with the people around him. What makes John interesting is the way in which Duvall has chosen to portray him. For the most part, John seems totally subdued in his mannerisms and tone of voice, but he often erupts unexpectedly in fits of uncontrolled mania and violence - aimed more at objects like payphones or people who annoy him than at his carefully chosen victims, whom he liquidates with an emotional detachment worthy of his profession. Duvall hits all the right notes in making his character both frighteningly bizarre and strangely sympathetic all at the same time. As a writer, Duvall does better with dialogue than with the narrative framework as a whole. Particularly effective is John's constantly asking the Argentineans with whom he's conversing to repeat what they have just said. Most writer/directors would not be shrewd enough to add this calculated bit of realism, which seems just right given the bilingual situation he has set up. Unfortunately, Duvall's considerably less successful with the story itself, which often wanders aimlessly, lacks clarity (particularly in the cloak-and-dagger sequences) and suffers from an overall failure to meld the various elements into a compelling whole. The supporting performers are all good, but, ultimately, we are left wondering just what Duvall had in mind when he set about making this film. If his purpose was to show that even coldhearted killers can love their kids and appreciate art and beauty, then that ground was pretty much covered by "The Godfather" movies. Even the tango scenes are generally blasé and uninspiring, forcing us to wonder just what it is about this dance that both intoxicates John and leads one of the women in the film to say that the tango is "life, love, hate," an encomium that certainly doesn't seem justified by the dance sequences in this film. "Assassination Tango" deserves to be seen for Duvall's performance and for the uniqueness of both its setting and its main character. Just don't expect to be swept off your feet by the dancing.
Rating:
Summary: "Remember, tomorrow is promised to no one"
Review: In ASSASSINATION TANGO Robert Duvall plays an assassin sent to Argentina to kill a general, but when his assignment is delayed, he meets a gorgeous tango dancer (Duvall's real-life love, Luciana Pedraza) and becomes enraptured with that world. Unfortunately this film starts off slow and really doesn't get off the ground at all. There are several holes in the plot and many questions left unanswered. Robert Duvall's acting is good, but the story lacks substance. If it weren't for the beautiful scenery of Buenos Aires and the scenes of tango dancing this DVD would not be worth watching. Generally I enjoy Robert Duvall's films, but this one fell short of my expectations. 2.5 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Yawn...
Review: Obviously an endorsement for his girlfriend's passion...the tango. The dance scenes are the only thing worth watching. Unfortunately, Robert Duvall lacks the testosterone level to successfully portray an assassin, let alone dance the tango...Go Papito!
Rating: 
Summary: An incredible character study of a quirky aging assassin
Review: OK so if you expect the normal fare of many of today's movies with wall to wall sex, violence, chase scenes, and, where you can pretty well deduct the outcome way before you finish you popcorn than baby do not buy this DVD ..... Tis will require some thought to enjoy ....
Duval and Ruben Blades and directed by Coppola .. it dont get much better that that for character studies, intrigue and romantic fencing that is mouth watering hot ....
Duval, and aging owner of a chain of ladies hair dressing salons and full time assassin falls in love with one of his hairdressers and her 10 year old daughter. After years of killing he now finds himself entranced by the love of his stepdaughter allowing his previously repressed paternal side to flower in to full bloom in the autum of his life. The mother and the daughter in effect become everything to him and his reason for living ....
The Duval character is faboulously written and of course, acted, as we see the assissin is a bland charater that can meld in quickly unnoticed while very much maintaining a very very quirky, paranoid and to some extent schizoid personality that he has to draw upon to be able to deal with his real job....
When Duval is sent to Argentina to do a three day job that circumstances turn into a several week stay our complex hero whiles away his time by indulging in his other passion, appart from killing, and that is Tango. He quickly finds a young tango dancer who is not only willing to teach him how they really dance the tango in Argentina but also flirts with him making their scenes practically sparkle with electricity ....
OK .... enough to this point since I really do not want to give away the unexpected surprises or endings of this wonderfully story .....
Rating: 
Summary: the good, the bad, and the really ugly
Review: One has to wonder what possessed Robert Duvall to write himself such a despicable part; unlike his "The Apostle", in which the character had some light mixed in with the darkness, his John Anderson, a hot headed loose cannon slimy hit man, is 100% horrible. Perhaps his relationship with his girlfriend's 10 year old Jenny is supposed to be the "light" part, but that just further increased my discomfort with this character; would you leave your beautiful little daughter with Anderson ? Scary thought. The girlfriend, well played by Kathy Baker, is hopelessly naïve, or pretending to be, as she seemingly believes his lies...perhaps it's the best she thinks she can do as a single mother manicurist. Elephants could tread through the holes in the plot, the script meanders, and the editing is erratic. The "plot" concerns a man who is sent 5,250 miles from Brooklyn to Argentina for a "job"; the reasons for this, and who is the final target, get more confused as the film unfolds, and when at a loss for words, which is often, they rely on obscenities. Many of the scenes seem to be improvised, and not too many of them succeed. Out of this 1 hour and 54 minute film, there are approximately 15 marvelous minutes, and they take place on the dance floor. The principal dancer to thank is the stunning Luciana Pedraza as Manuela, whose fluid grace and lovely form will delight anyone who appreciates dance; other terrific dancers include Geraldine Rojas, who plays Manuela's sister Pirucha, and the great Pablo Veron, who dances while the end credits roll, and makes us wish that more time had been spent on the tango, and less on a bad tempered assassin. To see much more of Pablo Veron, I highly recommend Sally Potter's "The Tango Lesson".
Rating:
Summary: An exercise in weak connections
Review: Robert Duvall could very well be the same character he played in The Apostle as he represents in Assassination Tango. He has the same impatient fervor, passionate obsessions, and bowlegged swashbuckling strut. Rather than get into a new character method, Duvall plays himself again with a new hobby - tango. And how to make a movie about tango interesting? Complement it with an "International Man of Murder Mystery". Duvall is a fine actor, and I do appreciate him. However, this movie bored me to tears. The tango dancing is exquisite. The indigineous Argentinians are charismatic, beautiful dancers and a joy to watch. By the end of the film it feels like a geriatric tour-de-force -- trying to hold onto youth by obsessing over a hot young tango dancer... and a 10 year-old daughter back home. I develop an interest in taking tango lessons and a nostalgia for Duvall's excellent opus, The Apostle....
Rating: 
Summary: A major actor's ego trip that could be worth viewing
Review: Robert Duvall is among the greatest film actors of the last forty years. He fills the screen and it is virtually impossible for any other actor to upstage him. This films reminds me of the time when Richard Burton read off the names in a phone book---and the audience was held spellbound by the late thespian's ability to make such a normally boring event seem wildly interesting. 'Assassination Tango' lacks coherence and is something of a rambling mess. And yet, I found the experience highly rewarding. Duvall is a director of modest talent. The movie is supposedly about a overage professional killer who must travel to Argentina to assassinate a retired general who is allegedly guilty of crimes against humanity. None of this ever makes any logical sense. But the dancing and the beautiful cinematography are exhilarating. Duvall has the extraordinary talent to turn meandering dialogues into riveting scenes. We are entranced by his character's adoration of the girlfriend's daughter. The flirtations between John J. Anderson (Duvall) and the gorgeous and significantly younger tango instructor Manuella (Luciana Pedraza) are poignant and even a bit touching. 'Assassination Tango' is definitely not for everyone. I give it four stars, and recommend it only to those who believe that great acting alone can salvage a less than well put together script. In many respects 'Assassination Tango' is nothing more than Robert Duvall's grandiose ego trip. Nonetheless, it still might be well worth an evening of your time.
Rating:
Summary: This is clearly an act of love for Duvall.
Review: Robert Duvall is one of the best actors of the late 20th Century. We are aware of Duvall's versatility in movies in everything from "The Godfather" and "The Apostle" to "Gods and Generals." Few people outside the tango community know that he is a passionate tango dancer. It is obvious that this production was an act of love. This movie will probably not go into general release at your local theater. I really expect it to have a limited release. Notwithstanding that, my advice to you is to see it even if you have to drive two hours [one way] to go to a theater as my wife and I did recently. It was really worthwhile. It is a movie that did not do well in the Toronto Film Festival in 2002. Because of that, certain portions of the film were re-shot in Buenos Aires. Even still, the movie provoked discussion on the Tango-L listserv. It has been criticized for its "weak" plot. I find the plot less complicated than Sally Porter's "Tango Lesson," and the style of dancing to be less of the "fantasy tango" style and more of the salon style that you see in Buenos Aires today. This movie will have definite appeal to milongueros and tango junkies, as well as some die-hard ballroom dancers. I loved the dancing in the movie, and I really wish there was more of it. A few years ago, I was pleased to have seen some of the people in the movie dance several years ago at Duvall's farm in northern Virginia. This is the kind of dancing I like. I would love it if there were a "director's cut" of this movie available soon. I would be the first to buy it.
Rating:
Summary: You can't be fantastically great at everything.
Review: Robert Duvall is one of the greatest actors of our time. But this film smacks of a vanity piece. Plot slooooooow! Editing: please, let's have some. Lots of talking heads. Watch Tender Mercies, Lonesome Dove, or Second Hand Lions, or anything else. He was too close to this one. Like a doctor operating on his own family. He needed distance. His protagonist just did not have qualities to engender empathy for. Duvall shines in any movie as a "god" of actor! Many can't even do that. But he needs to divide responsiblities for a director and editor. Shots, though, had excellent color in the non-static scenes.
Rating:
Summary: Not a perfect effort.....But I couldn't stop watching.
Review: Robert Duvall shows some originality, in this captivating film. I say captivating, I couldnt turn it off, the dialouge was very realistic almost with a documentary edge, the action while not flashy or excessive had realistic grit,and I had to know how it was going to end. Being an artistic endevour you really dont know whats going to happen to our protaganist, hitman in the end.
I throw the word original at this work for a couple of reasons. The main character, "John Anderson" played by Duvall(albeit as the same cheracter we have seen him play before) is a hitman with a difference, not to much macho posturing is used creating this vulnerable,aging,and somewhat regretful professional. He's not regretful about the "jobs" he performed, but that as he nears the twilight of his life he has established no real roots. He does however now have girlfriend with a ten year old daughter, and his love for and devotion to this child shines through, as does Duvall's love for the Tango which is so beautifully performed many times for the loving camera by very attractive Argentinians. Both young and old.
The assasination plot takes a back seat to the Tango for a good portion of the film, and when Duvall brings us back to his whole purpose of being in Argentina we are as sorry as he to have to leave this wonderful dance behind.
There are one or two moments where Duvall's scenes could have been tightened up but I never felt these were very big negatives. All in all I would recommend this film to lovers of independent film, dance, and Robert Duvall fans.
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