Cama Adentro

This slow but involving human drama takes Argentina's recent economic meltdown as its prompt. Cama Adentro means 'live-in maid': Jorge Gaggero's sensitive film pursues the deep but uneasy relationship between the genteel, newly-impoverished Beba (Norma Aleandro) and Dora (Norma Argentina), the servant with whom she's shared her Buenos Aires apartment for almost 30 years.

Sudden lack of money has flipped the pair's dependency. Unable to pay her maid for several months, lonely, prideful Beba stands to lose the only reliable company she's known (her daughter, like her husband, has previously departed - alienated, we're left to assume, by Beba's haughtiness). Dora, meanwhile, must decide whether to stay and assist her unravelling employer, or take her chances in an economy with fewer and fewer jobs.

What could have become gooey and trite in the hands of a lesser director is instead rendered plausibly complex: the women struggle to preserve their dignity in straitened circumstances, and to forge a new accord based on mutuality rather than compulsion. Both Beba and Dora are endearingly flawed - the former supercilious and unyielding, the latter torn between contempt and sympathy for her former boss. Argentina is gruffly impressive as the emotionally-contained maid, while Aleandro's monstrous but piteous snob is an equally sharp portrayal. In Gaggero's measured telling, the pair's not-quite-friendship rings all the more true for being revealed with unsentimental compassion.

I haven't seen a lot of Argentinian films, but I have enjoyed immensely the ones I have. This is a great example of the art-house films that are made in Argentina.

Jorge Gaggero was honored not only in Argentina, but at Sundance for this work that he wrote and directed.

It tells the story of a rich woman, Beba(Norma Aleandro, The Official Story), who has fallen on hard times and cannot afford to pay her electric or phone, much less her maid. The Maid, Dora (Norma Argentina in her first role), is trying to build a house on the outskirts of town and needs the money to finish, so she quits to find another job.

Everything is done with grace, as Beba tries to keep up appearances, even as she has resorted to selling cosmetics door-to-door to pay the bills, or in some cases, just to eat. The dance between employer-employee becomes more and more intricate as the power relationship changes.

The ending was a big surprise, but a testament to the love these two women had built up for each other over 30 years.

A superb film.

Senora Beba is a 50 something (approaching 60) woman who is having to learn to live with reduced circumstances. She is the perfect upper middle class rattle brained blond who is maybe really not so rattle brained.

Dora is her live in maid of 30 years who is going to quit because Senora Beba can no longer pay her salary reliably.

Neither one want this to happen.

It is a wonderful look at life as you get older live alone and have less income.

Both characters and the film are 100% real.

This movie is a must see.

This film to me is undoubtedly one of the rare and stupendous examples of what they call (in the best sense possible) - an "actors' director", or in this case, rather - an actresses' one. I shall not bore you with the plot, it is all in the respective IMDb section, instead I will tell why I consider this a must-see for anyone who appreciates stories about relationships, who enjoys and values the intricacies of a female character (in this case - two rather opposite ones) beautifully unfolded. The love-and-hate relationship between the lady of the house (a bit delusional, totally broke and trying desperately to save her face) and her mucama, played to perfection by the grand Norma Aleandro and the fantastic discovery of Jorge Gaggero - Norma Argentina. What amazes me is how incredibly sensitive the director is to the enormous difference in characters of the actresses and their approaches, how seamlessly he makes that gap serve the purpose of his brilliantly written story. Every scene is a master class in subtlety, wit and purposefulness. In my view, many new directors will benefit enormously if they watch the film with an open mind. I was astonished by the fact that Ms. Argentina had never appeared on screen or stage before, she is breathtakingly effective in every shot, and the honest simplicity she contrasts to Aleandro's sophistication is a delight to observe. Absolutely recommended - the film is made with very apparent love for the woman, for Argentina and exquisite artistic taste and mastery. 10/10 from me.

Greetings again from the darkness. Very intimate tale of the 30 year relationship between a once wealthy woman and her live-in maid. Written and directed by Jorge Gaggero, the film picks up as Bebe is finally starting to acknowledge her financial difficulties and Dora her maid, is just about at the end of her patience, after not being paid for more than 7 months.

Obviously the bond created by time between the women is very strong, but only really shows at the oddest moments ... a sharp of glass in the foot or while hosting ladies night. The two lead performances are sterling and top notch. Veteran actress Norma Aleandro plays Bebe as a drunken, yet prideful woman, who obviously needs the companionship of her maid/friend. Norma Argentina plays the mostly stoic Dora as the maid who realizes she is the salvation to this very proud woman whose life is crumbling.

The intimacy of the scenes with both is pretty strong stuff and the nuanced performances are rarely seen in American cinema. Buenos Aires is given little screen time, but we still get the drift of the social pressures of a past life. Very strong film that was a Sundance favorite in 2005, but is only now making the rounds at indie theatres.