Petra

2018

1h 47m

Drama

List

94%

18 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

After her mother's death, a woman embarks on a search to uncover her father's identity.

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Prime Video

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Late R

A modern-day Greek tragedy, there are a lot of things about ‘Petra' that make it a compelling watch, starting with great directing from Jaime Rosales who uses interesting shots (the slow pan is used particularly cleverly) to create intrigue and even ramp up the tension. Then, of course, there is the incredibly well-written script where the dialogue is as authentic-feeling as it is devastating, all the more so because Rosales doesn't try to lead or prepare you with musical cues; traumatic statements are uttered quietly, just two characters talking in an otherwise silent room, just as you might imagine if it were real. Finally, there are the performances lead by the always outstanding Barbara Lennie and rounded out by Marisa Paredes, Alex Brendemühl and Joan Botey. It's a triumph in just about every way, almost experimental and yet hitting all the right notes to create a magnetic effect. Be warned, however, it's also mighty depressing, cruel and bit rough – you know, those Greek tragedies, man.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/03/22

Full Review

nefasto r

I loved the soft direction of the film, but everything else was soft too. The characters and their acting, the mystery, the drama. A flat, Greek soap-opera.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Jaime Rosales

Director

Bárbara Lennie

Petra

Alex Brendemühl

Lucas

Joan Botey

Jaume

Marisa Paredes

Marisa

Petra Martínez

Julia

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Identifying Features

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Jamie Dunn

Sight & Sound

Blending Greek tragedy with soap opera and told over a fractured chronology, Jaime Rosales' visually and emotionally dynamic Petra follows a young painter who joins the household of a famous artist...

Jan 13, 2020

Full Review

Michael Leader

Sight & Sound

Rosales's commitment to experimenting with novel approaches gives Petra an intriguing, engaging quality.

May 13, 2018

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Wendy Ide

Screen International

Ultimately...it's a formal experiment which falters in the second half, rendering several key sequences redundant and robbing the picture of an emphatic ending.

May 10, 2018

Full Review

Zhuo-Ning Su

Awards Daily

Wickedly written, smartly acted and expertly photographed, it's a treat for those who can stomach a higher level of perversity when watching their paternity dramas.

Oct 17, 2019

Full Review

Hannah Paveck

Another Gaze

At a time when the feminist revenge narrative risks a descent into cliché, Rosales's decision to withhold the film's central affective event... proves all the more effective.

Dec 15, 2018

Full Review

Guillem Martinez Oya

Macguffin007

A greek tragedy in modern times. A must. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4/5

Dec 15, 2018

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Synopsis

After her mother's death, a woman embarks on a search to uncover her father's identity.

Director: Jaime Rosales
Producer: José María Morales
Screenwriter: Jaime Rosales, Michel Gaztambide, Clara Roquet
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Spanish (Spain)
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 14, 2019
Runtime: 1h 47m

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