The Problemista: A Surreal Take on the Immigrant Experience
Alejandro (Julio Torres) is a young Salvadoran with a clear vision: to become a toy designer. He dreams of landing a job at a major toy company, a role he arguably embodies since birth. However, Hasbro isn’t rushing to hire this young genius. Instead, he finds himself working odd jobs, like at a company that cryogenically freezes creative individuals who’ve lost hope of recognition in their lifetime. When Alejandro gets fired from there, his visa situation becomes dire, threatening his stay in New York City. To employers and officials alike, Alejandro is seen as a migrant first, and a valuable specialist second. It’s only when he’s knee-deep in despair that he encounters Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), the eccentric wife of a cryo-preserved client, who desperately needs an assistant to manage her husband’s artistic legacy.
Julio Torres as Alejandro in “The Problemista”
“The Problemista” marks the directorial debut of Julio Torres, known for his stand-up comedy and writing for SNL. He also penned the screenplay and stars in the lead role, making this a truly personal project. Torres brings his signature surreal style and the poignant loneliness of a migrant in a big city from his previous works into “The Problemista.”
Character Dynamics: Alejandro and Elizabeth
Alejandro is meticulously careful, keeping his hands folded in his lap and often looking from under his brow, even when trying to be direct. His new “employer,” Elizabeth, only emphasizes his timid nature. This flamboyant woman overwhelms everyone with her assertiveness and is quick to berate anyone who looks at her the wrong way, yet her behavior is more amusing than irritating. Alejandro, on the other hand, while eliciting sympathy from the audience, is clearly someone who would annoy those around him.
Tilda Swinton in “The Problemista”
The film thrives on the contrast between Torres and Swinton’s characters. Perhaps the world itself relies on this dynamic: a blend of impulsive stubbornness and gentle professionalism can move mountains. Such a combination is rare within a single person, and if it exists, it’s fleeting. Alejandro’s success comes when he finally allows himself to be inconvenient, to stop solving problems alone, and to become a problem himself. Watching Elizabeth and Alejandro individually might be unbearable, but when they collide, even when heading in the same direction, their sparkling interaction is what we call life.
Tilda Swinton in “The Problemista”
Kafkaesque Comedy in New York
“The Problemista” feels like Paul King’s recent “Wonka” rewritten by Franz Kafka, who has hastily familiarized himself with the realities of early 21st-century New York. Instead of chocolate, we have toys; instead of villainous antagonists, endless bureaucracy; instead of pre-war Europe, modern America. The film is filled with surreal interludes depicting battles with toy monsters, encounters with the gods of the labor market, and endless labyrinths in search of keys. This absurdity feels more truthful than any documentary footage from an immigration office or employment agency.
While Julio Torres is no novice, with nearly a decade of screenwriting experience, “The Problemista” is his directorial debut, and only the second film project from Emma Stone’s Fruit Tree production company. Their hallmark is Nathan Fielder’s series “The Curse” (also released with A24’s support). Although “The Problemista” is well-balanced, it has a schematic feel, with contrasting characters. Some may find this clarity a plus, but one hopes that under ideal conditions, the director would have preferred to avoid the visible seams. Despite his departure from television work, Torres will likely achieve a smoother result with his next film.