Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Bergorks If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

angelsunchained This was an excellent and outstanding film about two seemingly washed-up and forgotten human beings. The acting is low-key, but great. A Bad Day To Go Fishing is the story of a burnt out, punch-drunk, former World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and his equally washed-up promoter slash manager, taking on any and all opponents in challenge matches in 27 South American cities. Unknown to the brain damaged ex-champion, his manager who calls himself,Prince, has been paying off all his opponents to lose to him. Without giving away the ending, the two losers end up in an obscure South American town, where the younger, stronger, and meaner opponent refuses to lose the fight. This film is a character study of lost souls just trying to get through life day by day, by any means possible. And yet, down deep in the human spirit, sometimes,given the right situation,human beings can recapture the glory of their youth, even if it is for a brief moment in time.

TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews Jacob used to be the strongest man on Earth. Now he and his manager Orsini travel South America, showing him and his feats off, and betting $1000 that no one can last 3 minutes in the ring against him. But one town proves troublesome for their endeavors; the man they hire to lose is arrested and won't be able to fight, and a new challenger surfaces. Since they don't have the money they've been promising, how will they get out of this situation? The acting is quite good. This is about getting by by any means necessary(not only for our two leads, several others are desperate as well, and the setting fits this perfectly) and the dangers of wrestling(the former champion is clearly brain-damaged - to the point where he has the mind of a child - and he has damaging addictions, such as drinking, not to mention the so-called "cycle" he goes through, wherein he sometimes gets extremely volatile). There is humor in this(I think it might be typically Spanish... I couldn't detail it more than that, it has some "stupid people" material). The film moves gradually towards the inevitable climax, a showdown. There is a bit of brutal violence, sexuality and disturbing content in this. I recommend this to fans of drama. 7/10

socrates99 I was having a bad day. Rented out both Skyline and this movie, and though Skyline was not nearly as bad as rumored, I'd be much prouder to have directed Bad Day.The two leads, Gary Piquer and Jouko Ahola, the manager and wrestler respectively, are magic together. There was no mistake making their relationship the heart and soul of this film. They essentially rode into my memory without triggering the slightest hesitation on my part. Gary, Prince Orsini, is a bit of a huckster though it's clear he's had some breeding. Jouko as the champion, Jacob van Oppen, is everything he should be, physically and emotionally. He's a massively muscled German, I think, whose best days are behind him. There's a world of humanity in his eyes though his life is being severely circumscribed by his handler and his quickly fading youth.They go town to town challenging the local toughs for a prize they don't even have. They're barely scraping by. And then they visit Santa Maria, where the local tough, The Turk, is no push over. His betrothed is desperate for him to win enough for their wedding. Antonella Costa as The Turk's intended, Adriana, is every bit as skillful and unforgettable as the two main leads and in some ways, the whole film rests on her performance.This is a real find which I intend to pass on to others whenever I get the chance. It's not flashy or grandiose but it nevertheless is totally affecting. I marveled at how effortlessly it was played out almost as if everyone involved were born to play their part.

SteveJ_888 An excellent first feature for director Alvaro Brechner. The strong writing and acting create characters that are believable and richly developed with subtlety and detail, but are not at all transparent. The viewer is invited into their experience yet still kept somewhat at a distance. What is innermost remains inaccessible as events unfold and build toward a climax. The film strikes a nice balance between character study and suspense. There is a simple plot – the film does more that just paint a picture, though that aspect in itself would be enough to make this a decent film.The visual elements serve the story very well – dark colors support the emotional content perfectly. The world that is portrayed is not glamorous, but lived-in and decadent. Two very different perspectives are evident in the film – the feeling of life on the road for the wrestler and his manager, and the poverty and boredom of the local people. Excellent costuming also helps define the characters and their environment.This film succeeds where many others that build toward a single event fail – it creates an emotional investment for the viewer – but one that may be ambiguous. Ultimately the characters are somewhat ambiguous themselves – but not due to any concealment on the part of the filmmaker. The characters simply are that way. We can't penetrate them or know their inner motives.The film makes a point – but it is far too subtle and enjoyable to be called a "message" film. The point is that events are easily understood - people aren't.