agmtw logo
search
Butter Man: The Slickest Mexican Thief

Butter Man: The Slickest Mexican Thief

A slick Mexican heist series made compelling by nostalgia and heart

7.5

TV Show

Mexico
Spanish
Comedy, Drama
2023
Abril Schreiber, Alberto Guerra, Enrique Arreola

TLDR

Okay, so we need the makeup tutorials, please!

What it's about

El Mantequilla was the most famous swindler of the 1950s, until he was known to be captured in that decade. In 1982, his son Emiliano Escamilla knows better, and he takes up his father’s mantle to find where he’s escaped to. However, on his case is Elena Robles, the first female detective in her division, and reporter Pablo Garduño, who set out to unravel his schemes.

The take

Butter Man: The Slickest Mexican Thief has gone under the radar the same way the titular criminal has evaded capture for years. Which is quite a shame, because Él Mantequilla has the charming, slick style of heist films from decades past. Through eight parts, Emiliano Escamilla takes on multiple fake identities, five of which happen to be the main identity Escamilla takes on in each episode. It’s funny to see how Escamilla gets away with some of these disguises, especially when he gets away with pulling millions from oblivious rich people just by dumb luck. However, what makes these scams compelling is how closer these get him to his real goal: reconnecting with his father and finding out the truth. Butter Man turns the caper series into a drama centered on family, mixing fun nostalgia with some heart.

What stands out

Film and TV are masters of disguises, but sometimes, these disguises don’t hit the mark. Some attempt to make them on the protagonist himself (think Superman hiding behind Clark Kent’s glasses), but some skip that and instead use different actors to portray those disguises (see Mission Impossible’s latex masks). Butter Man, with its master of disguises, had to take the makeup route to make it somewhat believable that a man can easily pull off these disguises. The series’ makeup department delivers, using ultra-realistic but feasible makeup techniques like different hair parting, painted on wrinkles, and glasses, that are definitely possible in the 80s. However, it’s the performance of actor Alberto Guerra that helps sell the illusion. He showcases some techniques on screen, but the marked difference between his different identities make it feel possible that a man like that can easily scam multiple people if he wanted to. And he pulls them off with the looks and the sleek charisma from heist films of decades past.

Comments

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Say Nothing

A powerful take on the Northern Ireland conflict that smartly shows all sides

8.5

Ethos

A level of attention to aesthetics usually reserved for the most elaborate films, mixed with a complex and relevant story, make this series from Turkey unmatched in its quality

9.9

Caliphate

A psychological thriller that provides insight on what drove so many young people to ISIS.

8.9

Pretend it’s a City

A wildly entertaining series of interviews with a New York legend

9.2

Occupied

Norway's most expensive show ever is a timely thrill ride with a grim geopolitical premise.

8.7

Escape at Dannemora

Based on a true prison escape story, this slow-burn suspense thriller features once-in-a-lifetime performances by a star-studded cast

9.3

Unorthodox

A well-acted fact-based thriller about untangling the grip of a close-knit community

8.5

Wild Wild Country

Almost too outrageous to be true – this captivating true crime docuseries tells the unlikely story of an Indian cult in America

9.8

The Looming Tower

A well-written thriller miniseries about the rivalry between the CIA and the FBI and how they failed to prevent 9/11.

8.1

The Good Fight

Like Suits or The Good Wife, but sharper

9.1

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.