Drama/Mex 3 stars
Fernando Becerril, Juan Pablo Castaneda, Diana Garcia, Miriana Moro, Emilio Valdes
Directed by Gerardo Naranjo
A middle-aged man steals the weekly deposit from his company, walks out on his family and rents a motel room to contemplate his suicide. Meanwhile, a young woman is torn between her current boyfriend and an unreliable old flame who has recently re-entered her life. And finally, a 15-year-old runaway struggles with being, well, a 15-year-old. What all of these people could really use is a day at the beach, which is exactly what they get in this slice-of-life tale from Mexican director Naranjo.
Like fellow countryman Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Naranjo weaves multiple narrative threads into a tapestry of life, culture, and sharply observed characters. It’s a marked improvement from his first feature, the drug-fueled Malachance, which screened at CineVegas three years ago. Both films are notable for strong performances within character-driven plots, but the sophomore effort relies less on flashy stylization and emphasizes visual storytelling. Good use of Acapulco locations and less shaky hand-held camera movements are also easier on the eyes.
As the burnt-out family man Jaime, Becerril does more with a tired glance than most actors do with an entire monologue. The only thespian in the cast, he gives the strongest performance in the ensemble—which isn’t to say there aren’t revelations to be found.
These include Moro as the lost girl who combs the beach with her friends, looking for rich tourists to swindle. Also the beautiful Garcia, whom the two guys fight over, but neither deserve. The troubles of all these poor souls come to a head one night, which they are wont to do in these types of films, yet the results are surprising while nevertheless adhering to logical character arcs.
What shouldn’t be surprising, given the quality of the film, is that Gael Garcia Bernal served as executive producer and that it’s already slated for limited theatrical release in the U.S. later this summer. Here’s hoping this emerging talent finds a wider audience.