Totally Biutiful

Although my younger days of celebrity crushing on a constant basis seem to have come to a halt, there are still a few that lead me to imagine dirty little thoughts. My engine definitely got wound today when I was able to share roughly 2 ½ hours with one of whom I happen to be completely smitten. 

I would say that even his somewhat tattered appearance couldn’t shake me from being mesmerized and when he speaks in his native tongue... well, forget about it! I just love this man and am convinced that in another life, he and I were destined to be a pair. Pity that my bubble popped once the credits rolled, the lights went on and I had to bear the idle chatter behind me of how beautiful his real-life wife is and how they have this little baby now and- blah, blah, blah! Really folks, couldn’t I just wake up slowly? You know, even though I don’t smoke, I would have appreciated a moment to do so, just to daydream about me and my celluloid fantasy man living an international life of adventure and hot, sweaty – well… never mind.   It was good while it lasted.

I don’t think that Javier Bardem is every woman’s cup of tea. He certainly ain’t a pretty boy with his flat, elongated nose and scraggy facial hair. But pretty boys can be so boring! Let’s face it; the most interesting Brad Pitt ever looked was when he had the beaded dreadlocks hanging from his chin. Textbook handsome has never held much appeal for me. I think it actually bugs my husband that I am so off course from what the normal girl would find hot, like it’s some personal insult to him. That’s precisely why I won’t let him read this blog because the only movie he has ever seen with Javier Bardem was “No Country for Old Men” and that probably wasn’t his best look- I agree.

Let me shake this off enough to tell you that “Biutiful” was an amazing picture. I know that you now understand that my enamor with its lead actor might make me un poquito bias, however if you enjoy foreign flicks and can appreciate their slow, beautiful pace and absence of virtually any aliens, explosions or sappy endings, you will love this film. 

At first, the plot felt a bit disjointed, but as it progressed, so did the flow. It was literally like delving into a rich and complex novel for two hours which featured flawed characters living less than desirable lives. There are instances that their pain is palpable and the desperation transcends throughout most of the movie but these moments are real and sometimes reality cannot be ignored.

This film is being met with mixed reviews in spite of its Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film. It is bleak, to be sure but I applaud filmmakers who can tackle a story that is not made of rainbows and happy endings. I can appreciate being taken on a journey that is uncomfortable at times to witness. I am in awe of actors who convey emotions as if it were their own truths and I am more than happy to become temporarily unhappy if I can do so while watching someone like my man, Javier.

I must give props to Maricel Alvarez. Her portrayal of a bi-polar, alcoholic mother (yeah, I know, I told you it was bleak) stops you in your tracks. At first I didn’t think I could get past her unusual looks, but as it turned out, it made her all the more engaging.   You want to knock her character upside the head while at the same time pick her up and dust her off. 

As I was sitting there, immersed in the plot as well as my buttered popcorn, I was so glad that I didn’t use this movie as my movie-pick for a date night. Frankly, my husband would have grunted and moaned though the whole thing. Unless you have a real artsy and sensitive male counterpart, I would suggest seeing this one sans man. I would also practice discrimination when selecting which girlfriends to tag along with you. I am pretty sure that this isn’t the film you attend with your “Sex and the City” posse.  Bring your college friend that you met in comparative literature or your ultra- liberal mother in law. Bring your girlfriend that you discuss heady world issues with or better yet, be like me and go alone! Take the journey. I think you will find it “Biutiful.”