‘The Beloved’ Review: Javier Bardem Carries a Tense Behind-the-Scenes Father-Daughter Drama That Could Use a Little More Sentimental Value
Rodrigo Sorogoyen's 'The Beloved' is a tense behind-the-scenes drama centered on a renowned filmmaker, played by Javier Bardem, who attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter by casting her in his new film. The movie builds psychological tension through withholding key narrative details and shifting visual styles, creating an atmosphere of sustained unease. While it offers a fresh take on the filmmaking genre, its emotional depth may feel restrained for some viewers.
- ▪Javier Bardem plays Esteban Martínez, a two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker returning from exile to direct a period film in Spain.
- ▪Martínez casts his estranged daughter Emilia, played by Victoria Luengo, in the lead role despite her limited acting experience.
- ▪The film was shot on the Canary Islands, using a mix of color and black-and-white cinematography to evoke the Spanish Sahara setting of the 1930s.
- ▪Sorogoyen gradually reveals the strained father-daughter relationship, beginning with an ambiguous restaurant meeting.
- ▪The movie premiered in the competition section at the Cannes Film Festival and runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Rodrigo Sorogoyen's ‘The Beloved’ Courtesy of Cannes Film Festival Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Films about filmmaking often seem destined for film lovers only, to the detriment of everyone else. There are of course some great exceptions to that rule, such as Truffaut’s Day for Night, Fellini’s 8 ½ and Godard’s Contempt — or, this past year, Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, which was a hit in Cannes that wound up winning an Oscar.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hollywood Reporter.
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