Most people have high expectations about travel and vacations. They work hard and then hope they will be rewarded with perfect weather when they arrive at their little paradise. But nature does not always accommodate them. Such is the case with a divorced dad who takes his two young children on a week-long vacation to a spa town. It rains all week.
Alberto (Nestor Guzzini) is a patient and playful chiropractor who picks up his 14-year-old daughter Lucia (Malu Chouza) and her kid brother Federico (Joaquin Castiglioni) from their mother's place in Montevideo. Although he doesn't see his children very often, they are not especially thrilled to be going on a trip with him. On the long drive Alberto is silent while his son sleeps and his daughter plays with her iPad.
When they finally arrive at "the spring water capital of Uruguay," it is pouring rain and the bungalow they are assigned looks very small and dreary. But Alberto tries to lift their spirits by convincing them to put on their swimsuits and follow him to the pool: what could be more cool than swimming while it is raining! But a guard tells them that the pool is closed due to electrical storm warnings and they trudge back to their room.
After trying to amuse themselves with many boring games and then watching television, each of the family members finds a way out of the bungalow. Alberto has dinner and more with a motel receptionist (Romina Rocca) and Federico befriends another kid who is staying in a cabin nearby.
But Lucia is the most restless. She is befriended by Madelon (Sofia Azambuya), a rambunctious teenager who loves to smoke, flirt with boys, and have a good time. Lucia is shy, conscious of her mouthful of braces, and unsure of herself when it comes to interaction with boys. She does manage to connect with Santiago (Pedro Duarte), a teenager she noticed at the motel, and they make plans to go dancing. Lucia has high hopes for this new adventure.
Writers and directors Ana Guevara Pose and Leticia Jorge Romero have created a very fine and engrossing film about a 14-year-old's coming-of-age and the heroic efforts of a family to make the best out of a bad situation when their vacation plans are shattered by an incredibly long deluge. The first-time filmmakers draw out a remarkable performance from Malu Chousa who presents a wide-range of emotions — moody, sullen, sad, mad, selfish, frightened, and disappointed.
Although it seems that nothing much happens in Tanta Agua, lives are changed and family ties are strengthened.
Special features on the DVD include a short film: "Home Road Movies" directed by Robert Bradbrook.
