This film is a romantic comedy without either romance or comedy. It appears to be more of a cynical meditation on love in the twenty-first century. The lead performer delivers a dynamic performance, but what is one to think of her conflicted character who seemingly lacks any kind of self-worth or sensitivity to the feelings of other people?
Written and directed by Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, the film opens with a lengthy meditation on love that is simply filled with negative slogans. At the heart of the message is the perception of love as "the privilege of only a chosen few" and the argument that "true love is, in the best of cases, unlikely." This negative outlook is that of the central character named Clara. But her point of view is not borne out in the relationships of other characters in the film, especially the loving connection between her parents and her sister's happy marriage.
Clara is seemingly locked in an adolescent angst due to the heartbreaking experience of her first love, a restless character named Daniel who left Clara to join Doctors Without Borders, was fired, and then showed up without warning to try to rekindle his relationship with her. Concurrently, Clara has met a level-headed doctor who is a widower and seems to offer her stability and commitment.
In the narrative that unfolds in this triangle, Clara does her best to avoid commitment to either man. She even seeks to undermine the relationship of one of her female patients with her husband. An implausible happy ending is tacked on to the film that instills no confidence in Clara's potential for operating in an adult world.
A defining moment for Clara occurs when she blurts out in the car, "Oh, my god, I'm such a horrible person." No words in the film are more truthful and accurate than these! While the actress was convincing in this role, it was unfortunate that the screenplay offered little redemption for her character, never lucidly acknowledging her own vulnerability or willingness to suffer the slings and arrows of the vicissitudes of love.
Written and directed by Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, the film opens with a lengthy meditation on love that is simply filled with negative slogans. At the heart of the message is the perception of love as "the privilege of only a chosen few" and the argument that "true love is, in the best of cases, unlikely." This negative outlook is that of the central character named Clara. But her point of view is not borne out in the relationships of other characters in the film, especially the loving connection between her parents and her sister's happy marriage.
Clara is seemingly locked in an adolescent angst due to the heartbreaking experience of her first love, a restless character named Daniel who left Clara to join Doctors Without Borders, was fired, and then showed up without warning to try to rekindle his relationship with her. Concurrently, Clara has met a level-headed doctor who is a widower and seems to offer her stability and commitment.
In the narrative that unfolds in this triangle, Clara does her best to avoid commitment to either man. She even seeks to undermine the relationship of one of her female patients with her husband. An implausible happy ending is tacked on to the film that instills no confidence in Clara's potential for operating in an adult world.
A defining moment for Clara occurs when she blurts out in the car, "Oh, my god, I'm such a horrible person." No words in the film are more truthful and accurate than these! While the actress was convincing in this role, it was unfortunate that the screenplay offered little redemption for her character, never lucidly acknowledging her own vulnerability or willingness to suffer the slings and arrows of the vicissitudes of love.