While foreign language movies are obviously designed to appeal to the relative domestic audiences, cinema is such that the universal themes that are explored are capable of crossing the barriers of language.

And so we can enjoy movies from Japan, Korea and Egypt, largely because we all suffer fears and enjoy love in the same way.

But when it comes to comedy, things can be a little more complicated.

Y Tu Mama Tambien for instance, contained the very same jokes that we played at school and that made it fun to watch.

To an extent, the same can be said of Martin Retjman's The Magic Gloves.

Alejandro is a driver for hire (though not a taxi driver) who picks up the confident Sergio, a music producer who goes by the handle of 'Piranha'.

Thinking that Alejandro is an old school friend of his porn star brother, Piranha invites Alejandro to join he and his wife for dinner. That very same night, Alejandro breaks up with his girlfriend.

Aware that Alejandro is about to become homeless, Piranha offers him the keys to his brother's flat, as the porn star is in Canada anyway.

In the meantime, Piranha's wife befriends Alejandro’s neurotic ex, who also becomes friends with a go-getting holiday rep, who in turn ends up seeing Alejandro.

And so various situations crop up for the hapless Alejandro, who finds himself surrounded by a new circle of friends, including his ex and her new friend, a young dog walker she met in the park days before.

But nobody here is playing it for laughs. Each actor is playing it as straight as an arrow, with the comedy as subtle as it comes, played out against the backdrop of a sullen and timeless Buenos Aires.

While the opening 20 minutes sets up the circle of friends, there is a specific scene in which you realise what the film is all about.

While having drinks with his new found friends, Alejandro admits that he rarely wears clothes with any colour on them, and certainly no stripes.

Not believing him, his friends immediately head towards his bedroom to rifle through his wardrobe to see this for themselves.

It's hardly a moment of comedy genius, but you can't help but laugh as the various characters discuss the subject of Alejandro's clothing choices, while Alejandro looks on nonchalantly.

And that's how the comedy goes. Little situations crop up that deserve a smile, if not a laugh, as the everyman loser watches his life pass by.

Some of the humour will be lost on the non-Spanish speaking audience, but the main themes of loneliness and failed dreams are the universal elements that we all understand.

By the end of the movie you realise the journey was somewhat fruitless, but you should have enough fun along the way to make it worthwhile.

Nidai Esat