BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

bnsw19 I first watched this film two years ago and it has been haunting me ever since; I watched it again last night... It's a bleak story beautifully told and there's the paradox. I consider it the second leg of Inarritu's stool of films - the first (Babel, Amores Perros, 21 Grams) was distinguished by elliptical, multi-layered story-telling and the third (The Revenant, Birdman) by a linear narrative and this one by its earthy, implicit social commentary with a touch of magic realism. What makes it such a stand-out film for me are the dialogue/script - so natural and economical - the direction and production - one smells the sweat - and, above all, the acting - Bardem delivers the performance of a life-time. He deserves to be remembered for this (and The Sea Inside) above the pastiche Bond villain in Skyfall.

gesamboer An exceedingly mature work by the Mexican filmmaker, Alejandro González Iñárritu. The story is a blend of myth and tragedy elements, but above all, it is a drama with a power that resides in its ability to merge an authentic world with one that is supernatural and usually separated from ordinary experience. Watching it is an experience that is strange, beautiful, and uniquely emotional in which the characters retain their emotional autonomy without being too foreign to the world they inhabit. This one has heart. Highly recommended.

Lucas Versantvoort Biutiful is director Alejandro González Iñárritu's attempt at recapturing the sense of drama his Death trilogy (Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel) had. Expectations were high not only because of the success of the aforementioned films, but because it had been four years since Babel first graced the big screen. Unfortunately Biutiful doesn't fully recapture the magic of Iñárritu's previous efforts and this may simply be because of Melodramatic Overload. Iñárritu always had a knack for compelling drama, but his films never became melodramatic to the point that it turned me off. Biutiful pretty much reached that point. If you thought Detachment was depressing, wait until you revel in the quagmire that is Biutiful.We follow Uxbal (played by Javier Bardem) as he tries to make a living for himself and his kids in Barcelona. He has separated from his wife due to her bipolarity and alcoholism, so his kids have no mother; his only immediate family is his brother who works in construction; he earns money by finding work illegal immigrants and managing a group of people who sell fake designer goods; he's diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer and he can talk to the dead (with which he earns some money on the side when taking to the recently deceased on behalf of others). To provide further plot info would be to enter spoiler territory, but the above should give you a clear indication of what you can expect: tragedy.What works is Bardem's magnetic performance which is what convinced me to watch the film from beginning to end and the cinematography which capture Barcelona in a way not seen on postcards, in all its depressive beauty and dreariness. Those who were enamored by the nighttime Tokyo imagery in Babel, will find a lot to like. Also interesting is some of the camera-work during scenes involving the afterlife. The first time Uxbal walks into a room and the camera slowly pans to reveal a man clasping onto pipes on the ceiling with what can be described as an intense look on his face… Iñárritu should try his hand at horror, that's all I'm saying. Perhaps the film's highlight is the subplot involving his ex-wife. Despite her bipolarity and alcoholism, she and Uxbal try to repair their relationship and take care of the kids, until Uxbal realizes (again) she cannot be entrusted with this task, despite what she says.Overall, I think Iñárritu reached the limit of what the audience could take in terms of melodrama. Though reception was positive, in no way did it equal his previous efforts. With Babel, there was an overarching point and a sense of dramatic beauty that this film's title fails to deliver. Although Iñárritu's films deal with themes of death (hence the supernatural element in Biutiful) and mortality, Babel had more to offer (the theme of communication overcoming cultural barriers). Crucially, Biutiful lacks this 'positive element'. It feels more like a melodramatic downward spiral, as opposed to Babel which – despite all the drama – still offered a positive world-view, because it showed human suffering is universal and it is the point where cultural barriers fade away. It's unsurprising that Iñárritu's next film, Birdman, will be part drama and part comedy, which will be interesting to say the least.

CinemaClown From the director of Amores Perros, 21 Grams & Babel, Biutiful is Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu's fourth feature film that has a poignant story, is intimately crafted & magnificently performed and yet, the film as a whole remains a largely underwhelming affair that's stuck on one level from start to finish & if it wasn't for Javier Bardem's remarkable performance, it'd have been long forgotten.Set in the underbelly of Barcelona, Biutiful tells the story of Uxbal; a deeply conflicted man who's struggling in every facet of life. Barely making enough money to take care of his two children & separated from his wife who suffers from bipolar disorder, Uxbal's life falls apart when he learns that he is diagnosed with terminal cancer which leads him to get his affairs in order before he's gone.Directed by Iñárritu, Biutiful is the least impressive effort of his film career. There are moments which exhibit excellence in bits n pieces but the manner in which its entire story is narrated is very dull. The 2.5 hours of runtime is deeply felt, supporting characters are not at all interesting & apart from Javier Bardem's emotionally devastating performance, there isn't much to like about it.On an overall scale, Biutiful explores the themes of fatherhood, guilt, love, spirituality & mortality and has a raw, evocative feel to it but its story nevertheless feels much contrived & isn't helped by its tedious direction, unrefined script, bleak ambiance, stagnant pace or dull editing. Bardem is absolutely flawless in his role but the same level of commitment is severely lacking from the rest of its cast & crew.