When you watch this, Martha Hoffman’s story will make you feel good about a lot of things. So the plot puts a lot of focus on her life. Who is she, you may ask? So Martha is a rich, classy woman who, like many typical wealthy women, is an art patron in her eighties. She is benevolent and funds younger artists in order to give them wings and make art. But this doesn’t go well with her daughters, who feel that by doing so, she is just showing the world the amazing person she is. This leads them to take a very harsh step. They go on to declare her mentally ill and institutionalize her.
She is visited by Casares, a court-appointed expert who is to study and decide whether she is actually mentally ill or is just framed by her daughters. In between all this, these two found a bond. It must be noted that both of them are very different from each other. Martha is an outspoken woman. She speaks her mind about everything. Casares, on the other hand, is a reserved man. The rest of the plot focuses on her living in confinement and Casares trying to understand and realize that things aren’t what they appear to be. His role is crucial as he is the only one to prove that she is all right and definitely not supposed to be here.
The film makes us put our thinking caps on and think about the plight of old people who are shockingly exploited by their own children. Martha’s case is one such case. She is an independent and outspoken woman. But just because her daughters are unhappy with her, they force and declare her mentally ill.
The main center of attraction for this film is, without any doubt, Marilú Marini. She is vivacious in her role, displaying emotions that are needed for her character. She also brings a decent amount of sass with her, which takes the form of her outspoken role. I also found her to be stunning in her appearance throughout the film (just a personal opinion). At one point, you might think that Marilú is actually Martha. The way she shows her curiosity and her generosity is heart-warming. Additionally, the rest of the cast, consisting of Daniel Hendler, Carla Peterson, Paula Grinszpan, etc., adds to the plot to give us this sweet plot, which has its own share of ups and downs. Playing the worried daughters, Carla Peterson and Paula Grinszpan are a great match for the film. To talk about Daniel Hendler, the actor, also adds that touch of calmness and prudence in the plot. He appears to be soft and someone who has gotten an idea of what the situation at hand is. Daniel Hendler, the director, is responsible for the success.
Yes, the pacing is a bit problematic as some scenes are given more time than others. Maybe it was a deliberate attempt by the makers to emphasize that particular scene. But whatever it is, the plot sure covers up the pacing issue because of its storyline. So all in all, this is a good watch which is high on emotions.
Final Score- [8/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Ch
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times