Abel

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Audience Member Unexpected treatment of child mental illness that mixes lightness with dark themes of parental abandon and skips the Hollywood happy ending. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Its simplicity is the greatest charm of this heart-warming little jewel from actor-turned-director Diego Luna, whose experience in Hollywood gained him a promising career as a filmmaker. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member 3.0/4.0 A simple yet original directorial debut from actor Diego Luna centers on a poor Mexican kid (Christopher Ruiz-Esparza in the title role) who gets out of a hospital after spending two years there for psychological treatment for a condition that was seemingly caused by his dad's (Jose Maria Yazpik) departure. His mother (Karina Gidi), older sister and younger brother try to deal with him and then one day he takes on his lost father's role as man of the house! Intriguing premise somehow works as it showcases how a simple family can accept anything for happiness. This would have been really ludicrous and funny with the wrong lead but Ruiz-Esparza is serious and heart-rending in his delivery that he makes this work. Other actors are strong overall especially Gidi. For some reason, the movie loses a bit of its power when the father re-enters the picture and we get to know his story (which I won't ruin here), mainly because one feels a disconnect between his story and Abel's condition. But overall an engrossing movie with some surprisingly tense (especially the finale) and other heartwarming moments. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member This is definitely not a neatly packaged film, which makes for great interpretation and analysis. What is the true role of a father, and can it even be simply defined? Add to that mental health issues, and you have a film that takes you on an interesting, and sometimes freaky, journey. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member I respect the film for tackling a very particular and unique mental state, the premise is quite different from any film I've seen. The performances were good, especially from the main character, some of the best acting I've seen from a child, considering the subject matter makes it more impressive. Taking the precocious little kid and turning that on its head is a good move and layering a bunch of family drama on top definitely got my attention. However, as the film progressed, it got more and more silly until it suddenly got very serious then it ended somewhat abruptly, somewhat leaving us back where we started. Maybe it's a testament to the film that I care so much, but I was definitely left wanting more. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Funny, sad, visually and emotionally engaging Mexican film about a young boy who thinks he is the father that previously walked out on the family. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Abel

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