Family Law 2006

Ariel Perelman Daniel Hendler is a relaxed, inquisitive law professor in Buenos Aires, drifting through life with a quiet sense of purpose as he searches for his path in a city that mirrors his easygoing mood. The movie opens with a long, intimate narration that sketches the rhythm of his days and introduces his father, Bernardo Perelman Arturo Goetz, a popular public defender who meets his clients where they are—whether at work, in a restaurant, or on the street—to gauge what they’re really about. This bond is reinforced by Perelman’s close relationship with his secretary, a connection that persists since his wife’s death fifteen years earlier. It’s clear from the outset that work and family anchors drive his world, and he’s often perceived as full of energy, even when life feels routine.

As the story unfolds, a spark of desire leads Ariel toward Sandra Julieta Díaz, an attractive woman who teaches the Pilates class he starts attending. After lusting after her, he pursues a relationship, stepping into a scene that blends personal longing with professional risk. The first real test comes when Sandra is sued for teaching Pilates without the proper rights from the company that controls the rights to teach Pilates in Argentina. Julieta Díaz is shown in a pivotal role as this complication arises, and Ariel, who is known as Perelman to Sandra, reaches out to his father for help and ultimately wins the lawsuit, highlighting the father-son dynamic at the core of the narrative.

In the wake of the courtroom victory, Sandra falls in love with the younger Perelman and the couple marries. Their home fills with growing warmth as they decorate and settle into family life, welcoming a child named Gastón. The film thoughtfully traces the shifts in Ariel’s life as he balances professional success with personal change, all while the family builds a home that reflects their evolving bond. Yet quiet upheavals lie ahead. When the university building housing Ariel’s department collapses, the school is shut down for a month, and he is granted time off—though he chooses not to share this news with his wife. This pause becomes a turning point, as his father begins spending more deliberate time with him, prompting Ariel to confront something unsettled beneath the surface.

The story deepens as a Swiss kindergarten where Gastón attends invites Ariel to participate in a father-driven play and in swim classes with the other dads. He initially resists this intrusion into his routine but ultimately agrees to join, allowing a new layer of reflection to unfold. Through these moments, the film examines memory, responsibility, and the quiet reckonings that shape a man in his 30s. The closing chapters return to the themes of legacy and introspection as Bernardo Perelman’s death and burial bring Ariel to a long, contemplative look at the path his life has taken and the person he has become.