O Monstro de Mil Cabeças

The capitalist system swallows and digests everything that lies ahead. Thanks to "market freedom", real crimes are perpetrated. We could also talk about the "health business" of many others, such as the "nursing home". Rodrigo Plá sets his sights on any case: a man, father of a family, with cancer, who does not receive medication to cure himself. His wife is unwilling to be teased after eighteen years of continued payments. The "mutual" does not pay for that medication because it does not fall within their schemes and there is the conflict. The script is perfect just as the staging is exemplary: cold, minimalist, etc. If there is something that Plá stands out for, it is how he looks at history: open, large (1x2: 35), well framed. She does not want tears, or primary emotions. For this he has Jana Raluy (the wife) and Sebastián Aguirre (the son). Magnificent. A story that happens and that is repeated in Mexico or ... in Spain. Unpublished in our country.

A Mexican thriller-drama based on the novel of the same name. A theme about fighting a defect in the health insurance policy by an ordinary middle-class family. I had no idea of what this film is about, in the last minute I decided to watch, not even knowing about the storyline or its genre. But intrigued by its honest narration. The depiction in the film might not how in the real world happen, yet it uncovers what the desperate people can able to do if they were not treated fairly. You should not judge it by its cover, I mean its low rating and bad reviews. It is a much better film with a message.

The film ran nearly 75 minutes, which is shorter than an average film length, but it revealed everything it wanted to tell the viewers in a bold attempt. One of the realistic films I have ever seen that dealt with the real world issue in an unconventional way. The story of a middle aged wife Sonia, whose husband is very ill and completely depending on the insurance to cover the bills, but the company refuses to pay. So her quest commence to convince them and when she realises it is complicated, in the desperation she takes an alternate route to handle the situation. The following events are unexpected, powerful, before emotionally concluding.

"Next time, we'll rob a bank, okay?"

It is not about the corruption, but still fits in that category. In the end how you take it all matters. It started off like a slow drama, the developments were failed to impress me until the first 20 minutes. Surprised by the series of events came after that. The mother and son fighting the system their way when there was no option left, or maybe going through the legal proceeding might cost the time and life of the patient. They knew their position, and they did what have to be done at that point without thinking the consequence.

It is definitely an interesting take, the writer might have inspired by the real poor people's struggle to access the health insurance benefits, especially in the developing countries. So she added some extra contents to the screenplay (book) where the characters in the story can fight the bureaucracy and to make the story appeal its audience. The film was awesomely made, though there was no money making agenda behind it. The actors, particularly the one as Sonia was amazing, she could convince the viewers the character she played or the story are not fake. And then often, the gunfire sounds suddenly changes the environment in the film to pick up the pace like we do hit the refresh in our computer.

That one night event where most of the story takes place was looked some kind of undercover operation by the media. But the camera angles to cover the other side of some of the scenes were smart enough to pour in more interesting stuffs to us to stick with it. This film can't be watched for entertainment or to gain inspiration from unlawful act that shown in it, but it's set to deliver its own message. I don't think anybody would regret watching it, because it is short and sweet and the topic of the film is alone worth a watch. There are some full male nude scenes, but they were unintentional. Other than that it is a good film for everybody, especially for the grown ups I suggest.

7/10

In the vein of Falling Down, an ok-ish little gritty movie of the small guy vs the monstrous corporate.

Worth a watch that doesn't really go anywhere but the journey keeps you interested...

Greetings again from the darkness. Instances of the little guy fighting mightily against a bureaucratic monolith are featured often in cinema, so it's helpful to have an auteur like director Rodrigo Pla serving up his vision … in this case, a story from writer Laura Santullo.

In just the few opening scenes we quickly gain an understanding that this is an emotional story, and not one determined to spell out all details through intricate dialogue. Instead the lighting and camera focus on Sonia (Jana Raluy) as she tries to comfort her husband as he moans in pain (her face relaying that feeling we've all had as a loved one suffers so).

Next we see a determined and desperate Sonia … with teenage son Dario (Sebastian Aguirre Boeda) in tow … escalating her battle against the doctors, insurance company and pharmaceutical company that have seemingly conspired to prevent her husband from receiving the treatment he needs. Sadly, we easily see ourselves sliding into Sonia's shoes as she pursues the proper treatment for her husband – blackmail, kidnapping and assault laws be damned! Her fight against a corrupt and rigged system never gets easier, even after she uncovers documented proof that doctors are incentivized for high rejection rates. In other words, profits are priority over healing and treatment. Though set in Mexico, this personal desperation has been experienced by citizens of most every country.

Mr. Pla's expertise as a filmmaker is evident throughout. The use of a running courtroom narrative as a backdrop adds dimension to the otherwise minimal use of dialogue. Additionally, the camera work is stellar … especially in an early parking garage scene where we witness the first confrontation through the windshield of another car (assisted by that vehicle's headlights). It's yet another example of how emotional responses outweigh the verbal here, and why this story of fighting bureaucratic red tape goes beyond many others.

I will say that this was a thoroughly entertaining flick, but there were various problems throughout. From a character perspective, they were well-written and although short, the film's themes and ideas come across clearly. However, some of the cinematography is really distracting and instead of feeling like it was deliberate, it just comes across very strangely. Maybe it was intentional, but I found it to be lacking. However, that's as far as the flaws go. The performances are pretty good and the film's pacing is well-maintained through. It doesn't rush through things but it also takes its time. This is a solid film that is definitely recommended.