Torrente's latest: mockery and an economic debate
Santiago Segura's satire pits Franco-era nostalgics against critics of populism. Data, laughs and controversy on Netflix.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Torrente's latest: mocking everyone and economic nostalgia
The new Torrente instalment has become a Netflix phenomenon, but not because of its usual dated humour — rather because of the economic debate it has sparked: some see it as a fierce satire of populism, others as a veiled defence of Franco-era development economics. A paradox is served.
Unfiltered political satire
The film spares no one. From the caricature of politicians banning traditions like "throwing goats off the bell tower" to the joke about the minimum wage and cigars, Santiago Segura takes aim at political correctness and dogmatic leftism. But he also mocks economic nostalgia, with impressions of Franco-era adverts: "all mobile phones were made in Spain".
The debate that divides
That scene has upset those who defend autarky: "back then there was full employment and zero debt", they argue. However, the historical consensus shows that this development model was based on low wages and technological backwardness. By ridiculing it, the film exposes those who idealise the past.
Is Torrente an uncomfortable mirror of today's Spain, or just entertainment that simplifies History? Its success on Netflix suggests it has achieved what few films do: getting people to talk about economics in a cinema.
The new Torrente instalment has become a Netflix phenomenon, but not because of its usual dated humour — rather because of the economic debate it has sparked: some see it as a fierce satire of populism, others as a veiled defence of Franco-era development economics. A paradox is served.
Unfiltered political satire
The film spares no one. From the caricature of politicians banning traditions like "throwing goats off the bell tower" to the joke about the minimum wage and cigars, Santiago Segura takes aim at political correctness and dogmatic leftism. But he also mocks economic nostalgia, with impressions of Franco-era adverts: "all mobile phones were made in Spain".
The debate that divides
That scene has upset those who defend autarky: "back then there was full employment and zero debt", they argue. However, the historical consensus shows that this development model was based on low wages and technological backwardness. By ridiculing it, the film exposes those who idealise the past.
Is Torrente an uncomfortable mirror of today's Spain, or just entertainment that simplifies History? Its success on Netflix suggests it has achieved what few films do: getting people to talk about economics in a cinema.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (31 replies).
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