Le mariage de Rosa

Brilliant romantic comedy subversive of the patriarchal model, it takes up years after they were married and he has disappeared, when the rest of her family relies on her. From the initial sequence where Rosa is on her own giving it her all, and more as she collapses on the beach, to the final party on the beach with the extended family who still do not understand her needs. Set in the region of Valencia and bilingual, the situation is universal but its specificity recalls Berlanga's satirical wit as it resets it from a woman's perspective.

As "Rosa's Wedding" (2020 release from Spain; 97 min.) opens, we are introduced to Rosa, a 40-something who is overwhelmed by well-wishers as she is running a minim-marathon, and she doesn't stop at the finish line, literally fleeing everyone. (Turns out it was a bad dream.) At work, at home, with family, she is counted on for many things, and Rosa is tired of it. But can she get out of the human rat race?

Couple of comments: this is the latest film from Spanish director.(and co-writer) Iciar Bollain. Here she brings us a look at a midlife crisis by a 40-something woman who seemingly does the job of 3-4-5 people. I suppose this is Spain's answer to Chile's 2013 "Gloria" or even the US 1978 film "An Unmarried Woman". Bollain keeps the tone fairly light (it is a comedy after all), but the gender points are made crystal clear and unmistaken. And with family like that, who needs enemies anyway? Candela Pena is excellent in the title role, but the support staff is quite good as well. The film was shot in and around in Valencia (southeastern Spain), and that only adds to the appeal of the film.

"Rosa's Wedding" was released in Spain but recently popped up on HBO Max, where I caught it. If you are in the mood for a light comedy that looks at at the midlife crisis from the woman's perspective or are simply looking for a good foreign movie, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

The idea was better than its execution, it was something closer to "On a very distant island", but Tom was dull, the photography didn't help, the slapstick script didn't help, much more than I expected and what Rosa deserved, it's not every day that a person decides to marry themselves, although we all should do it at least once in our lives... The toast to the bride, made by herself, was beautiful and memorable, but not enough to erase average film...

About to turn 45, Rosa realizes that she's always lived her life to serve everyone else, so she decides to leave it all behind, take charge of her life, and fulfill her dream of starting her own business.

I had a lot of fun watching this movie. And it was interesting, as the night before I watch a French movie called 'Petite Maman' , Both very interesting in their respective emotional way. Here we have a person that as finally realised she's been a 'doormat' most of her life, and enough is enough, she needs to have a life of her own. Others will have to learn to live without her. It is presented in an unusual way and that is what is fun. It's original and partly funny but with many elements we encounter in our lives.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment of what the movie could have otherwise been. I simply enjoyed it as it was with some thought provoking moment.