Biutiful...

Although I've just got to Paris, where Fall is timidly showing off (18°C), I've decided to go to a private screening of "Biutiful," Alejandro González Iñárritu's new movie.

After Amores Perros, 21 grams and Babel, Iñárritu brings us here a true masterpiece of realistic cinema... but...

Two notes:

1) It is possibly the hardest, darkest and cruelest movie I've ever seen in my entire life...

2) Javier Bardem, the lead actor in the film, is definitely the largest and most talented living actor... He deserves every Academy Awards to come...

As we met outside of the theatre, my sister and I, together with some friends, had our throats choked with tears which we could not let go...

What is it about?

This is the story of a lonely man, Uxbal, who, living in a rotten, dirty and corrupt yet lovely Barcelona, has to face the fact that he is dying of a terminal disease and has nothing to leave to his two children, who he adores. In the need for quick money he mingles with Chinese and Africans. The first produce fake designer bags in a window-less underground workroom. The latter sell them downtown, always avoiding getting caught by the police. A true universe of misery...

The mother of the children, Marambra, is a bi-polar mental woman, totally crazy and unable to handle the kids.

Uxbal is dying but selling fakes, the misfortunes (so many!) of those around him and his need for money leave him no time to pity himself...

And he is continuosly haunted by memories of his father, who he never knew...

I won't tell you more... You must see "Biutiful" although there's nothing beautiful in it.

You have to see it because it is a slap on the face that shows us a cruel reality that, although it exists, we usually don't want to see...

A special remark for young Maricel Alvarez, who plays the role of Marambra, a fantastic actress I did not know but, after reading the press booklet given to us, I found out that she's from Argentina! She's been working in theatres mainly and this has been her first movie. Iñárritu was two days from begining production and still had no actress for this role, when he received Maricel's resumé. In less than 24 hours he made her travel all the way from Buenos Aires and in just two minutes he realized she was the one to play Marambra...
Oh, and I don't want to forget to mention Gustavo Santaolalla's original soundtrack, another Argentinian contributing to create a movie masterpiece...

See, after all, I did find something beautiful, right?