Solas

Solas (1999)

A purely effective entry into the private worlds of several very lonely people in contemporary Spain. Tenderly filmed, acted with understated and honest passion, and written in a way that makes you believe it.

And that's the point. You really care about first the lonely old woman, then increasingly about her troubled daughter, and finally about the old man who is a neighbor living alone. What some people need, other people need to give. But they don't always know it, or if they know it they still resist, trapped by promises made or by convention.

It's an interesting dose of reality that there are a couple of truly bad people here, as well, both men, both abusive in different ways to their woman. One, an older man in the hospital, remains bitter even as his health declines, and he reveals in a key passage that what he cares about is whether he was the kind of man society and tradition had expected him to be. Nothing else. It's sad, but not as tormenting as the younger selfish man who almost glories in his selfishness.

What makes the movie strike deep, though, is how the women put up with this. We aren't sure if it is because they too are caught up in society's traditions, or if they have some emotional need to be abused, however that gets started. But what we are sure of is how familiar this sounds--if not in our own relationships, at least in those around us, somewhere.

As powerful as this movie is, it is never overpowering, and never sentimentally driven (until, alas, the very end, which is a disappointing but understandable wrap up). What works so well is how subtle the emotional highs and lows are. It's all written and directed by people who understand what is going on in life, beyond the deceptions of the silver screen.

"Solas" spends its 100 minute run digging deep into the character of Maria (Fernández), an attractive 35 year old brittle pessimist who bears the scars of childhood abuse at the hands of her father, drinks too much, and works as a janitor. A somber, plodding, plaintive character study, "Solas" fleshes out its small ensemble of characters well, illuminating the dark corners of Maria's hopelessness with an unlikely combination of her visiting mother's quiet courage and the friendship of an old man in a neighboring apartment. An award winning film hailed by the critics and an exemplar for American Indie makers, "Solas" will appeal most to more mature audiences into Europix. Those who enjoy this film may want to check out "El Abuelo" (1998). (B)

A very touching movie. During the movie you almost start wondering if there are only sad people around. But even the saddest ones (and they now, because they have had a fight about who the saddest one was) can shift to a better life.

Nowadays it is not so easy to find a film that hits directly your heart and sentiments. Benito Zambrano gives an opportunity to recover all those sentiments that are well hidden in your subconscious.

Carmona is a small town too close to Seville to have a real identity and is the frame for a difficult and impossible relationship between a daughter, mother and father. Zambrano shows how difficult is to grow up in this outcast and bit farmer town with the leit-motiv of these three characters that join back together due to the father's illness. The father is marked rude and impolite, used to hit the wife or the daughter to show his total dominance and authority. The wife was totally subjected to this situation and the opportunity to find some understanding and heat with their neighbour is accepted with detachment by her. This side relationship with a lonely man brings back love to this sad and destroyed family. The daughter is even worse, alcoholic and in love with a truck driver who does not care of her pregnancy.

The loneliness of the void with a breach of optimism is well expressed in this simple but very effective and straight film.

Rating: 7/10

This is a bold and nice film about a woman on the edge of depression and nervous breakdown and who finally finds a purport in her thunderous life . It deals with a thirty and some year old woman : Ana Fernández who lives in the noisy city by working badly in cleaning jobs . When her mother : Maria Galiana comes to town to care her ill father at hospital , she stays at her home. Both of whom meet a sympathetic elderly neighbour : Carlos Álvarez Novoa who befriend and help them. Things go wrong when Maria is pregnant and her boyfriend wants she aborts.

A thoughtful and sad film about three lost souls attempting to give each other love as well as strength to start over , dealing with poorness , loneliness , abusiveness , desperation and ultimately redemption. It is a pretty good film , though some dowbeat and depressing , however , the final part results to be very sensitive and touching . The cast is frankly excellent , giving terrific interpretations . Ana Fernández is top-notch as the woman who moves to city to find a fateful destination , while Maria Galiana is awesome as the passive and kind mother .Special mention for Carlos Álvarez Novoa as the likeable neighbor who lives as a recluse and whose only company is his dog . They are finely accompanied by a good support cast with brief appearances from Juan Fernández as the egoistic boyfriend , Antonio Dechent as a doctor , Paco Tous , Maria Alfonsa Rosso, Mariana Cordero, Rosario Pardo and Cuca Escribano .

The motion picture was compellingly directed by Benito Zambrano and it won various Spanish Goyas . As it was Goya winner : Best supporting actress Maria Galiana , Best New Acress Ana Fernández, Best original screenplay and Best new director Benito Zambrano , Best original score Antonio Meliveo , Best Production Manager Eugenio Santana , Best Sound and Best Film Antonio P. Pérez , Maestranza Films . And Tokyo International Festival winner Best actor award Carlos Alvarez Novoa , Winner Best actress award Maria Galiana , and Turia Awards 2000 Winner Best Spanish film , Best actress Ana Fernandez . Furthermore , other prizes in multiple Festivals as Angers European First Film Festival , Ariel Awards Mexico , Asecan , Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards , Berlin International Film Festival, Bogotá Film Festival , Brussels International Film Festival, Cartagena , Chicago International Festival, Fotogramas De Plata , Cinema Writers Circle Awards Spain , among others . Andalucía-born Benito Zambrano is a good filmmaker who has made a few but prestigious films such as : Habana Blues , La Voz Dormida , Intemperie and this big hit : Solas. Rating :7/10 . Notable . Better than average. Well worth watching . Essential and indispensable seeing .