Film review: Biutiful

Newsroom 11/04/2011 | 11:24

Biutiful is a film that requires the viewer to go armed with sufficient handkerchief supplies, as it tells the tragic story of Uxbal, a man whose life is in freefall. However, one must think twice before feeling sorry for the character so well portrayed by a very handsome, yet intense, Javier Bardem.

Biutiful captures the last months in the life of Uxbal, who, after neglecting his health, discovers that he is in the latter stage of terminal illness and must make amends with his loved ones.His morals are questionable, as he helps illegal Chinese and African immigrants find jobs – a quite honorable occupation one might say, except for the fact that Uxbal gets good money out of it, while the jobs typically subjectthe workers to the most inhuman,medieval conditions and are paid a pittance.He works hand in hand with his corrupt policeman brother, Tito.

Unlike Uxbal, whose failings are balanced with decency, Tito is a 100 percent bad guy. Upon learning that he has such little time left, Uxbal becomes keener to amass money so he can make sure that his two children will be looked after. He begins to make mistakes and his determination turns to despair, as his bipolar former wife is in no position to look after the couple’s children.The protagonist slowly runs outof options, until an unexpected solution occurs.

All in all, Biutiful is the story of a broken man who, in spite of his mistakes, does not seem to deserve his dreadful fate. He is a man who grew up without a father and lost his mother at an early age, who also bears the burden of an unwanted gift – that of being able to see and speak to the souls of the departed. Furthermore, the picture reveals a darker, poorer side to the celebrated Spanish jewel of Barcelona, the outskirts of which seem to reflect Uxbal’s own degeneracy.

This fine film will move even the hardest of hearts.

corina.dumitrescu@business-review.ro

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