‘Elena Knows’ Netflix Movie Review - An Almost Satisfying Drama from Anahi Berneri

I am unfamiliar with Anahí Berneri's work, but based on Elena Knows (based on a book by Claudia Piñeiro), I can tell she knows how to convey vast information through small actions. Consider that opening scene where Elena (Mercedes Morán), after a quarreling session with her daughter, Rita (Erica Rivas), tries to get up from the sofa. When she finally stands on her feet, her daughter gives her the walking stick. Elena, however, proceeds to hold Rita's hand instead of taking the stick, which tells us that no matter how much they fight, the mother loves her daughter vehemently. Now, take another scene where we hear the sound of a car nearby, and the camera slowly turns around Elena to reveal that the vehicle belongs to the police (the red-blue lights can be seen shining outside). It quickly becomes clear that something is not right. Rita, after all, didn't pick up her mother from the beauty parlor. Something unpleasant has happened, and the police have come to deliver bad news to the old woman.

Well, it turns out that Rita has committed suicide. She has apparently hanged herself at the tower of a local church. Elena refuses to accept that her daughter has taken her life. How is she so sure? Because it was raining that day when Rita's body was discovered. According to Elena, Rita never goes outside in the rain, as she fears thunderstorms. This means that Rita was murdered. Elena is a 65-year-old woman. She is not as physically strong as, say, Taken's Liam Neeson. Her head is mostly tilted down, and her shoulders are hunched. When we see the world through Elena's eyes, we first notice the hands or the legs of a character who is talking to her. This mother is suffering from Parkinson's disease, but she is determined to provide justice to her daughter.

Elena Knows, though, puts forward these questions: Is it possible that Rita actually committed suicide? Can Elena's intuition be wrong? Does a mother know everything about her daughter? The smoothly executed flashbacks tell us about Elena and Rita's relationship. It, at first, looks like a normal mother-daughter bond where the two sides constantly fight and make up with each other. What's so real about this bond is that no one apologizes. There are moments when Rita gets on Elena's nerves by bringing in a cat, which the latter throws out promptly. Then, there are moments where Rita argues with a pharmacist and makes Elena proud. Elena adores her daughter. When the school calls her to attend Rita's commemoration, we briefly see her from a distance, and at that moment, the frame is also filled with basketball-playing students. It feels as if Elena, as well as the film, is criticizing these students for not mourning Rita's death.

While the images effectively convey all the information, the film's tone, after a while, turns monotonous. Every scene is dipped in the same mood, making things sorely bland. Without an emotional charge, the events lack a sense of revelation. It appears as if Berneri is simply handing out one page at a time from the script. The movie, however, reclaims its powers towards the end. It's here where the flaws of the characters come out in the open, forcing Elena to confront them. Suddenly, you understand the meaning of the title. Elena finds liberation by accepting her shortcomings. It's a heartfelt conclusion that almost makes you overlook the faults of the film.

Final Score- [7.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times