By Roger Costa
BELOVED TROPIC (QUERIDO TROPICO)
Making her feature fiction debut, accomplished documentarian Ana Endara’s drama centers on the deeply moving and co-dependent relationship between a traumatized older woman suffering from dementia and a young immigrant caretaker who’s pretending a pregnancy in order to guarantee the release of her documents and working permits.
Beautifully observed, Endara imprints a sensitive and empathic vision throughout the narrative: using silence as a backdrop, the camera captures the turmoil of the situation, yet it extracts beauty and poetry from natural elements, such as the garden they spend time at, the characters’ routines and the meticulous shots on Nature’s living actions.
A decade after her international-breakthrough role in “Gloria”, actress Paulina Garcia delivers another Oscar-caliber performance as Mercedes, the wealthy matriarch fighting her demons and the sudden attacks of her emotional condition. She fully understands the pacing and changing moods of her character, and masterly commands the show with her gestures, and deeply intimidating eyes. Next to her, there’s Jenny Navarrete who is also fantastic and hypnotic, creating a complex and very mysterious relatable woman, who could be anyone next to you. Only these two towering performances would be enough to make the film satisfying and gripping. But director Endara is very confident of the material and she elevates the quality and appeal of this emotionally-charged female-driven domestic mystery drama to a higher socio-political status. The film is concerned with the political and cultural changes of both countries represented here- the action takes place in Panama, the immigrant comes from Colombia, and the ailing woman also deals with nostalgia and homesickness- allowing arguments on the class’ conditions and influences, the preservation of identity and traditions and the inevitable consequences of modernism. The director subtly comments and approaches these issues with naturalism and authenticity, which doesn’t interfere in the most important aspect of it: the strong friendship and truthful mother/daughter-type bond they share.
(BELOVED TROPIC-FiGa Films-World Premiere at Toronto Film Festival 2024 on September 7. Screens also on September 8, 10 and 12. Go to https://www.tiff.net/events/beloved-tropic for details)
NOW SHOWING AT FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER
One of this summer’ most revered films, GOOD ONE is a lovely coming of age story set during a family camp trip. Director India Donaldson creates one of those magical, classic stories that works so well to the point it becomes unforgettable. Attempting to reconnect to his daughter before she goes to college, a father takes her and a friend to a trip. Things go well at first but for the girl it becomes abusive once boundaries are broken. Anchored by a revelatory performance by Lily Collias, along with superb takes by James Le Gros as her father and Danny McCarthy as the out-of-control buddy, the film grabs the audience by the heart with its honesty since its first moments. Rooted in neo-realism and extracting lyricism from randomly beautiful images accompanied by an irresistible folk, catchy soundtrack, Donaldson proves to be an instant American auteur.
(Metrograph Pictures. Now Playing Exclusively at Film at Lincoln Center NYC)
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