Film: Abel
Year of production: 2010
UK release date: 25th April 2011
Distributor: Network
Certificate: 15
Running time: 82 mins
Director: Diego Luna
Starring: Geraldine Alejandra, Karina Gidi, Christopher Ruiz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza, Jose Maria Yazpik
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Format: DVD
Country of production: Mexico
Language: Spanish
When a family loses its father figure, can it survive alone or should it seek another, no matter how destructive the consequences may be? Abel focuses on a nine-year-old boy who assumes the role left open by his unfaithful dad.
The film opens with Abel returning from a two-year stay at a hospital, during which time he has been entirely mute.
His mother Cecilia takes him home and we see a fractured family: she has to sell their belongings just to survive from week to week; Abel’s younger brother Paul ignores him and misbehaves; while his teenaged sister Selene is becoming increasingly frustrated with the amount of work she has to do to support her mother.
The family dynamic changes abruptly one day when Abel begins behaving like his missing father. The hospital warns his mother not to confront him for fear he should become mute again, and he quickly assumes a position of authority.
Although he has filled a vital role, and his siblings are, for the most part, glad of what he is doing, his unusual behaviour brings an ever-present tension. His actions are not normal, but Cecilia is afraid of what will happen if she tries to stop him. The situation is further inflamed when Abel’s father returns out of the blue…
Family dynamics are central to the film, which lightly poses the question of whether it matters who the head of the family is. The answer may be made readily apparent, but there are moments where Abel’s behaviour is of great help to his siblings.
This is a highly original debut by Diego Luna that holds your attention from the opening shot to the last. As a director, Diego shows a gentle touch that allows his actors’ performances to come out fully. The premise of his debut stretches reality, but we can accept it because of the naturalistic way it is portrayed, in both its comedic and dramatic moments.
Abel, played by Christopher Ruiz-Esparza, is the central performance - and the most striking one. As the disturbed mute we see at the beginning, unable to connect with anyone, and the strict but fair father he becomes, his natural acting talent makes us believe in the character, even if we may never fully understand what is happening in his head.
But every character was perfectly realised, without a single weak link in the cast. We are able to empathise with everyone’s situation, even if we cannot sympathise with everyone. Each character has a likeable element to them, including Abel’s errant father Anselmo, played by Jose Maria Yazpik. Despite his questionable morality, and sometimes spiteful actions, he shows concern over Abel’s abnormal behaviour, and is convinced that it must not be allowed to continue.
Karina Gidi deserves particular praise for her portrayal of Cecilia, the single parent near breaking point who only wants the best for her children but is unsure how to provide it. The strain she is under is always apparent, even in the film’s many lighter moments.
The unexpected seam of comedy throughout the movie is well-counterbalanced with the inherent drama. Funny scenes such as Abel interrogating Selene’s boyfriend are flavoured with the sense that it is difficult to know where this story will end, and how the situation will be resolved, or even if it can be resolved.
The well-written script flows naturally and not a single scene is wasted. Abel’s final fate is always in doubt, although the more astute cinema goer will pick up on a certain conversation that foretells the climax of the film, if not how it will play out.
A highly promising debut, Abel brings realism to an unlikely situation, and places the family unit under close scrutiny. There are moments when we are left uncertain whether Abel is mentally disturbed or if he is filling an absent role out of necessity. RWI
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