BIUTIFUL

Directed by: Alejandro Inarritu

Marginalized people who lives underground tend to live under fear and degradation, but they do have hopes and dreams too, at least that what this film tries to convey.

Telling a story about a sympathetic criminal middleman named Uxbal (Javier Bardem in his magnificent role) this is a story about underground life in Barcelona. There's illegal Senegelase and Chinese immigrant with corrupt cop pressing in to Uxbal.

To make matters more interesting; Uxbal is a single father, separated from his bipolar ex-wife, Marambara (Maricel Alvarez) and took care of his children in his small apartment.

Uxbal learns that he had a prostate cancer and his days are numbered. So he tried his best to manage his chaotic life and business while seeking redemption and understanding.

Nominated for an Oscar for both Best Foreign Film and Best Actor (Javier Bardem), this is the story not only about fatherhood but slightly political by exposing the harsh conditions the illegal immigrants have to face in order to earn money better than in their homeland.

Visually poetic without being pretentious, this one is more enjoyable than Uncle Boonme, especially since both films have almost the same theme; facing death and the illusion of life itself.

You don't have to be smart or pretended to be some intellectual tech savvy to understand some symbols or the disjointed scenes in this film, this one is accessible, in terms of understanding, by almost any viewers since it doesn't try to be ueber-artsy. Even to those people who watch mainstream movies only.

This is important to me since films like these have power to reach the masses, not some elitist film trying so hard to be smart, but a smart and soulful movie trying to be populist.

Although it is a 'dark' story that hangs heavily on Uxbal's fate (also Bardem's charisma) but still pleasant to watch because here we can see that beauty and misery can live side by side and people 'trapped' in this condition have a very limited choice in their life, make us ponder deeply before we judge people.

Uxbal is not a usual criminal, he is not brutal or cruel, he looks like a guy who just want to make ends meet. But since his choices seem to be limited, this is the one he can do. He is sympathetic to the illegal immigrants although it has a tragic consequences. He is not a bad man, but he works in a bad world.

For a 'dark' film, I think Biutiful (a misspell from Uxbal's daughter) is beautiful and offers hope. Uxbal finally comes to terms with his condition and move beyond desperation to appreciate the preciousness of life. Some deep thought in there eh?

Shot mostly in hand held, it makes the feeling of intimacy more stronger. What makes me wonder is technical aspect of this film. As I watch it at the cinema, the aspect ratio changes from wide screen to letterbox. I don't know why, was it technical adjustment? However it doesn't disturb at all.

As for me I am familiar with Inarritu's work, and together with Amores Perros, Babel and 21 Grams, this one is my favorite since somewhere between good and amazing, lies Biutiful.