Review of El pasado

El pasado (2007)
6/10
Loved it until half way through
13 September 2007
I just saw this film at the Toronto Film Festival. The director and Gael Garcia Bernal were both there (which was quite a thrill).

I don't want to give too much away about the plot, but essentially this film looks at the different ways men and women react to a breakup. It was very interesting, well acted and profound and I enjoyed it thoroughly until about halfway through. Unfortunately, the last part really bothered me and took me from rating it at an 8 or 9 to a 6.

As a woman, I did see myself - to a point- in the first part. I also gained a better understanding on why some men react to a relationship's end as they do. Unfortunately, the final half of the film made some deeply disturbing generalizations about women and their emotional stability, and I was left perturbed. It's one thing to give certain attributes to a character; It's another when an entire gender is implicated.

Nonetheless, the performances are all marvelous. See it - but prepare to have a conversation about it after wards!
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