Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Screenplay: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Armando Bo
Starring: Javier Bardem, Maricel Álvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib, Guillermo Estrella, Taisheng Chen
Year: 2010
Languages: Spanish, Chinese, Wolof
UK rental release: May 2011
IMDb
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Rotten Tomatoes
More of a near miss this week, but with some gong success. From the director who brought us Amores Perros, we're taking a peek at the film that was nominated, yet missed the opportunity of winning, the Best Foreign Language Oscar in 2011, along with Incendies and the recently reviewed Dogtooth... Alejandro González Iñárritu's Biutiful.
Uxbal (Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men, Jamon Jamon, The Sea Inside) is looking for reconciliation in his life. We find him in the middle of a snowy forest with a dead owl, confronted with a mildly jovial man who acts like he knows him.
This mystery is short lived, as we visit his true life. Living in a rough neighbourhood, Uxbal is a caring family man, loving of his two children, Ana (newcomer Hanaa Bouchaib) and Mateo (also newcomer Guillermo Estrella). However, he has a volatile relationship with their alcoholic, mother, Marambra (Maricel Ávarez, Días de Vinilo) who suffers from bipolar disorder.
He is estranged from her and has custody of both children. Plus, he has troubles elsewhere in his family too. He doesn't fully trust his brother, Tito (Eduard Fernández, The Method, The Skin I Live In), and quite right so as he has been having an affair with Marambra without Uxbal knowing.
No matter how gentle he may appear in this part of his life, sometimes he shows his temperamental side. This may be due to his exterior world being filled with misdemeanour and deceit. He runs a crime syndicate in tandem with fellow criminal boss, Hai (Taisheng Chen, Jade Warrior, In Love We Trust). Hai is involved in the illegal manufacturing of purses and pirate DVDs, which are sold on the street by some of Uxbal's contacts, mainly organised by his associate with the gangs, Ekweme (newcomer Cheikh Ndiaye).
He also has a contact with the police, who he keeps sweet with regular instalments of bribe money. This keeps the heat down while his business thrives and permits him time to pursue something far more personal to him.
Uxbal has a gift that sits apart from this criminal life. He is able to communicate with people who have just passed away, conversing with them as they float on the astral plane between our world and wherever they are destined to, helping to settle the erupting emotions of the family members that grieve them. He's a criminal because he has to make ends meet. He's a considerate father as he knows no other way. But his spirituality isn't a necessity in his life...it just is, and he must listen to the souls that have passed.
If his existence isn't busy enough, he gets some news that adds pressure. He starting to show frequent symptoms of pancreatic cancer. He learns, from his results, that the cancer is very aggressive and he has but months to live. This unearths a new mind set for Uxbal; an opportunity for reunion and redemption. Not only does it alter his perspective in general but forces him to re-think his actions. Marambra wants him back too, so he takes the chance to bring the family together.
However, Uxbal has no idea that his street peddlers sell drugs too. The police arrest many of them, including Ekweme. As Uxbal world starts to fall away, just like his life. He makes a promise to take care of Ekweme's wife, Ige (newcomer Diaryatou Daff) and their baby. Yet, she may have something that she can do to help Uxbal in return.
First thing I noted in this Mexican-Spanish production is that it's dressed with some poetic dialogue thanks to Iñárritu's engaging script, penned with his compadres Nicolás Giacobone and Armando Bo. With lots of ambivalence in the early scenes to create intrigue, we slowly unravel into the story as the text draws you in. From colourful exchanges with his business partners, through the wonderful stories for his children, to the blessed accounts passed to him from the spirits he reaches out to, there's a abundance of word play at work.
There's a plethora of heart-breaking moments too, which are smartly emphasised by some great sound design. At points, the amplification of heart beats through embraces with our star protrude through some of the more moving scenes, placed at key points of this story. In fact, there superb use of sound in some of the more chilling scenes too, especially in the "ghostly" moments when Uxbal transcends into the spiritual world.
The audio is elevated thanks to a sensual score by Gustavo Santaollala, which coats the piece fluidly, sometimes punctuated by some brilliantly left field production in places. The music earned Santaolalla a nomination at the Goya Awards in 2011 but sadly wasn't noted anywhere else.
The Goya's also recognised Rodrigo Prieto's exquisite cinematography (again, regrettably, nobody else did!). Predominantly displaying some "fly-on-the-wall" approaches in parts, with hand-held effects and close-ups galore, it's peppered with kinetic pans to emphasis a more organic flow to the picture. And with sets so detailed, he used a keen eye to take advantage of sharp lighting, scattering it across the claustrophobic apartments, bringing a richness to the cluttered living spaces.
There are some artistically interesting shots scattered frequently amongst some of this stunning camera work: the glimpse of an interesting painting, a out-of-focus view of the Barcelona's landscape, some political graffiti, a close-up of a brain scan, the creeping of an insect, and so much more. These clips interfuse with the entire piece, with rapid recurrence, conveniently chapterising each segment of the tale with obscure beauty.
It is one of the most refreshingly shot films I've seen for some time, thanks to such an unexpected fusion of realness, art and dramatics. These techniques are absolutely key to the overall package to ensure that the correct feel is generated when considering its premise. With key thematics covering redemption and forgiveness, brought on by Uxbal's looming demise and his actions taken due to this predicament, its artistic delivery nurtures the necessary emotions and responses to absorb you into the lead character's life.
Uxbal is an incredibly deep individual. At first, it's the blend of caring father, criminal businessman and spiritual medium that allures you to him. Then, throw his pending fatality into the fray and his character, in theory, should be nigh on impossible to fathom. Yet, with the sensitive and brooding nature in which Javier Bardem approaches the part, instead of confusion we meet a man of incredible depth and charisma. He gently nudges the character through his journey, building a rich transcript of Uxbal's experiences.
There's a juxtaposition so tangible in Uxbal's lifestyle, between his sweet adoration for his family and the corrupt actions he involves himself in through his work. His illness throws a huge curve ball into the mix, as you fight with your morals while witnessing some of his actions. Yet, there's an air of spirituality too, through Uxbal's abilities as a medium.
Speaking of which, be prepared for its blunt approach to death. Some scenes are quite disturbing. At the same time, this directness grants it with a strangely graceful approach to mortality. For example, Uxbal and his brother Toto need to relocate their dead father's grave due to some pending construction work; of a father they have never truly met. On seeing the remains of the body prior to cremation, Uxbal has a moment which is oddly moving. Not only is it the first time that he's truly seen his father, but the physicality of his dad's demise through this corpse appears to unearth something buried deep within himself, assumingly attuned to his own ticking clock.
He is greeted by cadavers in his life regularly in his foray as a medium, but this encounter touches him at his core. It is within these confrontations with the afterlife, especially with that of his father, that the true beauty in Biutiful truly shines.
Biutiful is seriously underrated and misunderstood. It's confident in its moody and somber approach. It has been criticised for its lumbering pace, and some of you may struggle to stick with its two and a half hour length, yet I was completely consumed by its pensive manner. But, if none of what I have said so far wins you over, consider the other Oscar nomination this film received - Javier Bardem for Best Actor. He was never going to take the gong from Colin Firth for The King's Speech, but his simply gorgeous performance should be enough of an excuse for you to check it out.
Uxbal (Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men, Jamon Jamon, The Sea Inside) is looking for reconciliation in his life. We find him in the middle of a snowy forest with a dead owl, confronted with a mildly jovial man who acts like he knows him.
This mystery is short lived, as we visit his true life. Living in a rough neighbourhood, Uxbal is a caring family man, loving of his two children, Ana (newcomer Hanaa Bouchaib) and Mateo (also newcomer Guillermo Estrella). However, he has a volatile relationship with their alcoholic, mother, Marambra (Maricel Ávarez, Días de Vinilo) who suffers from bipolar disorder. He is estranged from her and has custody of both children. Plus, he has troubles elsewhere in his family too. He doesn't fully trust his brother, Tito (Eduard Fernández, The Method, The Skin I Live In), and quite right so as he has been having an affair with Marambra without Uxbal knowing.
He also has a contact with the police, who he keeps sweet with regular instalments of bribe money. This keeps the heat down while his business thrives and permits him time to pursue something far more personal to him.
However, Uxbal has no idea that his street peddlers sell drugs too. The police arrest many of them, including Ekweme. As Uxbal world starts to fall away, just like his life. He makes a promise to take care of Ekweme's wife, Ige (newcomer Diaryatou Daff) and their baby. Yet, she may have something that she can do to help Uxbal in return.
First thing I noted in this Mexican-Spanish production is that it's dressed with some poetic dialogue thanks to Iñárritu's engaging script, penned with his compadres Nicolás Giacobone and Armando Bo. With lots of ambivalence in the early scenes to create intrigue, we slowly unravel into the story as the text draws you in. From colourful exchanges with his business partners, through the wonderful stories for his children, to the blessed accounts passed to him from the spirits he reaches out to, there's a abundance of word play at work.
The audio is elevated thanks to a sensual score by Gustavo Santaollala, which coats the piece fluidly, sometimes punctuated by some brilliantly left field production in places. The music earned Santaolalla a nomination at the Goya Awards in 2011 but sadly wasn't noted anywhere else.
There are some artistically interesting shots scattered frequently amongst some of this stunning camera work: the glimpse of an interesting painting, a out-of-focus view of the Barcelona's landscape, some political graffiti, a close-up of a brain scan, the creeping of an insect, and so much more. These clips interfuse with the entire piece, with rapid recurrence, conveniently chapterising each segment of the tale with obscure beauty.
Uxbal is an incredibly deep individual. At first, it's the blend of caring father, criminal businessman and spiritual medium that allures you to him. Then, throw his pending fatality into the fray and his character, in theory, should be nigh on impossible to fathom. Yet, with the sensitive and brooding nature in which Javier Bardem approaches the part, instead of confusion we meet a man of incredible depth and charisma. He gently nudges the character through his journey, building a rich transcript of Uxbal's experiences.There's a juxtaposition so tangible in Uxbal's lifestyle, between his sweet adoration for his family and the corrupt actions he involves himself in through his work. His illness throws a huge curve ball into the mix, as you fight with your morals while witnessing some of his actions. Yet, there's an air of spirituality too, through Uxbal's abilities as a medium.
He is greeted by cadavers in his life regularly in his foray as a medium, but this encounter touches him at his core. It is within these confrontations with the afterlife, especially with that of his father, that the true beauty in Biutiful truly shines.
Biutiful is seriously underrated and misunderstood. It's confident in its moody and somber approach. It has been criticised for its lumbering pace, and some of you may struggle to stick with its two and a half hour length, yet I was completely consumed by its pensive manner. But, if none of what I have said so far wins you over, consider the other Oscar nomination this film received - Javier Bardem for Best Actor. He was never going to take the gong from Colin Firth for The King's Speech, but his simply gorgeous performance should be enough of an excuse for you to check it out.
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Perfect analysis of this great and moving film. To date,I have seen this film over 20 times and it shows me something worthwhile without fail. Your (correct) observation that some, probably many, moviegoers would likely have a problem with the film's length. This is, as director Innaritu has said, due to the slam bang pow expectations of today's generation of viewers...such a pity.
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