Review by John Delia
Steeped in a veil of deceit and anguish The Bride (“La Novia”) tells a tale of forbidden love and vengeance. Much like the films by powerful director Sergio Leone this foreboding tale gets an ominous story that involves star crossed lovers, choices, and a heroine pulled between families. Excellent cinematography plays a big part in this revenge driven film.
As youngsters the bride (Inma Cuesta as la novia) to be played each day with two boys, the future groom (Asier Etxeandia as el novio) and Leonardo (Alex Garcia). It’s just a simple life frolicking on the farm and enjoying each other. Grown, the three are separated by an act of murder, with Leonardo marrying the cousin (Leticia Dolera) of la novia. It has been several years and Leonardo still pines for la novia, riding his steed within sight distance from her father’s home.
The day of the wedding is gorgeous with the whole town attending, including guests Leonardo and his wife. What happens here will set the course of a story that digs deep into la novia’s soul and strikes out in el novio’s heart. Director and screenwriter Paula Ortiz takes the story from an old play by Federico GarcÃa Lorca called “Bodas de sangre” (“Blood Weddingâ€). She develops her characters showing the early beginning of jealousy within a love triangle and then the passing of time with the three torn apart over an act of murder.
Much like the darkness and brooding films of master director Sergio Leone, Ortiz spools out her film at a slow pace using her camera to linger on expression more than dialogue. The film really needs no dialogue as the actions of the players do most of storytelling and this is a good thing for buffs of the genre. Drawing her audience into the lives of her main characters and using outsiders to the love triangle, offer a different angle in the lovers plight. This makes the film a brilliant tableau of love, hate and revenge. Mothers, fathers, sisters, cousins and the like affect the situation, much like in “Romeo and Juliet’s” affair that draws the two to the ultimate conclusion.
The acting by the whole cast makes the film work. As la novia (the bride) Inma Cuesta is magnificent showing her doubt with being betrothed to el novio. She knows in her heart she still loves Leonardo, but you can see her torment over him marrying her cousin. She wears the hurt on her chest, knowing full well that what she’s doing cannot give her retribution.
Opposite her are Alex Garcia as Leonardo and Asier Etxeandia as el novio (the groom). While Etxeandia has had a few good roles that includes the recent Ma Ma, here he’s a featured actor and does a very good job of showing his want for the girl he has desired since a child. His character also shows and how elusive his dream can be. His el novio shows love on a rollercoaster and its ups and downs with no rest in between. At the height of his elation for achieving his goal, his best performance comes into play.
Stealing the thunder from his counterpart however, Garcia’s the savior on the black steed turning his mistake into an attempt at one more chance for love. It’s a tough role as the character has to turn the audience in his favor even though he’s already taken a wife or the ending will not work. He does a good job of it, making a stand for what he believes to be true love.
The film does have a downside and that’s the orchestration of a couple of scenes toward the end of the film. Quite unrealistic and amateurish, the difficult scenes shows a lack of using a good choreographer that would have made it a lot better. I also believe the opening scene should not have been shown as it does cause a sense of predictability.
The Bride (“La Noviaâ€) has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains violence, nudity, sex and language. The film is shown in Spanish with English subtitles.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very good film based on story, acting and cinematography. (B-)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Inma Cuesta, Alex Garcia, Asier Etxeandia, Leticia Dolera, Luisa Gavasa, Carlos Novoa, Consuelo Trujillo
Directed By: Â Paula Ortiz
Genre: Drama, Foreign, Romance
MPAA Rating: Not Rate, contains violence, nudity, sex
Running Time: 1 hr. 36 min.
Release Date: August 5, 2016
Distributed by: Outsider Pictures
Released in: Spanish with English Subtitles