La novia

This movie is a wonderful representation of Lorca's work and imagery. Full of metaphors, great music, and scenes.

Based on the old Spanish play about a wedding tragedy. It all sets in the rural Spain and tells the story of a bride who involved in a love triangle. It takes us back to her childhood day to reveal us her crush on one of two friends, but feudal between the friends families puts her in a tight spot. Especially as growing up knowing she has to choose one of them to marry. Finally the time comes to that, the day is set for the big occasion, but an unexpected twist brings a chaos during the celebration and the old rivalry awakens among the young generation.

It was a little dull narrative, mostly because of the quietness and lack of depth in both the character explorations and the story. I might say it is only a finishing touch work, we can't get any details we want for a better understanding, especially the past events remains slightly mysterious like how it all began. That's fine, because they thought they chopped away the boring stuffs, and yes they did, yet that did not bring any good result either.

Anyway, this film's focus was the three friends who grew up together, so this story is only about what happens around them. Beside them, the old woman who often appears is a puzzle that's need to be explained. But I assumed she's kind of witch who manipulating the peoples mind to go against each other.

Since it revolves on a wedding event, I was desperately looking forward the ceremony to begin. That's the other reason I felt letdown for it to delay. Until then the pace was too slow to keep myself engaged with this, but once the celebration began, it lit up my mood and followed by the conclusion that came with a light speed. So I kind liked the third act in the entire narration and according to me, that's the best part of the film.

"Bitterness is the worst punishment of all."

There's nothing much happens in the story section, we can easily know what's coming up next after the each scene. Because like I said, there's no great developments, everything was about getting ready for the marriage and during the marriage. It is like learning everything about it prior to the watch, yet the final scene, the solution was stronger than I expected. For an end like that I expected tearjerker atmosphere. The emotions showed between the characters, but for the viewers those are ineffective.

Shot in the cool places, I mean it looked like a semi-desert that did not bring the Spanish atmosphere of my knowledge, but blended well with the story. The character executions were fine, even the direction was good, but the writing was a disappointment. This 80 year old story needed a serious update, because the presentation was very stylish, but the tale was so simple. Yes, it looks so simple to follow, but complicated to fully understand it.

Just keep in mind that it is not a romance nor a revenge film, but a slice of equal both. About other things as well like love, life, family, culture, especially the three main characters linked with, such as the bride's choice, the groom's fate and the their friend's deception. This is definitely not an entertaining film, not for people like me, but what I call it is a story to decode. Like in the line of 'Enemy', 'Upstream Color', 'Borgman' et cetera. There're lot more about it than what actually the story tells, but only discussing with others who had watched it will bring the details out. Honestly, I was not very impressed with this, certainly not a bad film to ignore it completely.

6½/10

in many senses. not all easy to seduce. slow motion cinematography, landscapes from Capadoccia, poetic images, admirable presence of Maria Alfonsa Rosso and Garcia Lorca play atmosphere. a film who must admire ignoring the story because the first scenes are enough for know the evolution of the relations between characters to the tragic end. and the accuracy to the play is sacrificed for the noble desire to give an art film. result - "La novia" is one of films for a reduced target. a public who discovers more than the good intentions of the director or the changes by the play. a public seduced by atmosphere. by poetry of image. by the similarities with other tragic love stories. a film seduced by costumes and air and broken glass and costumes and old earrings. nostalgia. and justice.

Clebras and Rgfraiz should probably stick to blood and gore Hollywood made crap and the ever overrated Tarantino. This is a beautiful movie which speaks many idioms and yet no particular language because you have to decipher it yourself and it relies on one's own experience of life, love, desire, valid or repressed and forbidden to associate with this movie and its author. And with the book in particular. Every single choice whether it be the location(the DRY WHITE desert) to the houses which look more like ruins to the underlying stories. There is more than just a blood feud between them and the story with La Novia's mother which none of the above have understood and the reluctance of Le Novio's mother for her son to marry this particular woman......etc. There is just an immensity of codes and ciphers that need to be heard, seen and understood to appreciate this film,i.e CULTURE. Which to my despair seems to be more and more lacking nowadays. Better watched and understood in Spanish, including the dialectic words used. Or read the book before watching the film. Agree, not for everyone. But good movie. And Inma Cuesta is so good.

Visually stunning and emotionally charged Spanish drama that delves into the complexities of love and passion.

First and foremost, Inma Cuesta's performance as the eponymous "Novia" (Bride) is captivating. She portrays the character's emotional turmoil and inner conflict with remarkable depth and vulnerability.

The film's cinematography is a standout feature, capturing the rugged and breathtaking landscapes of rural Spain. The visual storytelling adds an extra layer of beauty to the narrative.

La Novia explores themes of forbidden love, loyalty, and the consequences of past decisions. It weaves a tale of passion and tragedy, leaving a lasting impact on the viewer.

The emotional intensity of the film is heightened by a haunting musical score that perfectly complements the story's dramatic beats.

The supporting cast, including Álex García and Asier Etxeandia, deliver solid performances, adding depth to the complex web of relationships.

However, some viewers may find the film's pacing slow, as it takes its time to delve into the intricacies of the characters' emotions and relationships.

In conclusion, La Novia is a visually striking and emotionally charged drama that immerses viewers in a world of passion and heartache. With Inma Cuesta's compelling performance, the stunning cinematography, and the film's exploration of forbidden love, it's a cinematic experience that leaves a lasting impression.

If you appreciate atmospheric and emotionally-driven films with a touch of romance, La Novia is a must-watch. It's a poignant and visually captivating journey into the complexities of human relationships and the power of love.