The death of a mother is one of the greatest losses that human beings face. This is what happens to seventeen-year-old Azul (Zoe Hochbaum) and thirty-four-year-old Paula (
Sofía Gala Castiglione
) when their mother leaves this world. As we well know, carrying out preparations for an event of these characteristics unleashes an internal doubt: how do we continue when the feeling of orphanhood is so strong?
Still going through that pain, the first of the girls' discussions immediately arises when they try to define what to do with the body. While the youngest wants a traditional burial, the oldest decides to carry out the cremation. Either process will require money and time, which neither has.
But while Azul goes through the drawers of the old family house in search of some capital, he discovers an envelope with revealing photos in which he sees a young Paula pregnant. These are old, somewhat faded images that refer to a distant place; the legendary
Cabo Polonio
resort in Uruguay, which has attracted many Argentines for decades.
Thus, the young woman also discovers a deception.
Paula, who was apparently her older sister, is actually her mother
and she has hidden what happened for years. According to her, it was the only way she found to protect her daughter from a father who did not know how, or did not want to, take care of her obligations.
It is obvious that Azul is shocked when he finds out about the lie and decides to take a trip to that wasteland where it all began. Her intention is to meet her parent and have a full understanding of why she was abandoned. The script reminds us that
every human being has the right to know their origins because it is essential when it comes to understanding who we are
and what our purpose is in the world.
Thus, the film becomes a traditional
road movie
in which, as the genre dictates,
the story develops along the route
, where the bond between the two will grow against all odds despite arguments and disagreements, despite At the same time, both will discover a lot about each other and themselves that they did not know until then.
Sofía Gala Castiglione and Zoe Hochbaum start off as sisters in "Like the Sea." But the relationship between them is different.
Aunt Mecha
After entering the neighboring country in an unorthodox way, the first stop is in Montevideo, where Aunt Mecha (Carmen Maura) receives them at her house, meets Azul for the first time and expresses her disagreement about the identity that was hidden from her. . The march continues slowly and finally, when the longed-for meeting occurs, the unthinkable happens. We will not reveal the ending here, but suffice it to say that what one ambitions does not always come to fruition.
Director Nicolás Gil Lavedra, known for the films
True Truths
, based on the life of
Estela de Carlotto
, president of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, and
Las grietas de Jara
, adaptation of the homonymous novel by
Claudia Piñeiro
, is making
his third feature film with a script by Zoe Hochbaum and Gustavo Gersberg
. Although the plot, especially in some scenes, was predisposed to emotion, his gaze with a certain distance is more focused on the reconstruction of the relationship between these two women.
Almost another character, the splendid photography by Germán Nocella Sedes perfectly captures the rural and coastal landscapes of the Uruguayan plain, the multiple night scenes, and the expressive looks of the protagonists, in which the film finds its most important pillars.
Carmen Maura, as Aunt Mecha in "Like the Sea", the film by Nicolás Gil Lavedra.
Once again,
Sofía Gala Castiglione revalidates her charisma on screen
and the proverbial ability to embody those surly creatures uncomfortable with their surroundings. For her part,
Zoe Hochbaum manages to convey the anger and need for a response of the confused teenager
. Finally,
Carmen Maura only needs tones and looks to steal the moments
in which she appears.
File
Like the sea
Rating
: Good
Drama. Argentina, 2024. 84', SAM13.
Direction
: Nicolás Gil Lavedra.
With
: Sofía Gala Castiglione, Zoe Hochbaum and Carmen Maura.
Theaters
: Cinépolis Recoleta and Avellaneda, Cinemark Palermo, Hoyts Dot and Abasto, Multiplex, Showcase Belgrano, Norte and Rosario.