Contains Spoilers!
Many people found this film to be confusing, lacking a plot, art- house nonsense. Perhaps they were right and perhaps I'm just an art nut but I was all but awestruck by the piece. In Post Tenebras Lux, (Light After Darkness in Latin) Carlos Reygadas gives a beautiful and insightful look into the lives of a family living in rural Mexico. It may seem confusing and heady at first but to me, that is an over- complication. What I got out of this film was a simple and unique portrayal of the ordinary and mundane which can even sometimes seem shocking to us because realism is not a frequently employed style in film. Another thing, is although it may appear to be meandering and slow at times, (and perhaps ultimately is) the long scenes of a family just waking up, a reunion, an argument in the kitchen, a conversation at a bar- they all give us a deep and insightful look at the members of this family so that we can really connect to them on an emotional level which is something every film must do so as not to simply be a bunch of images flashing across the screen, and this one does so very well. Although it is ultimately realist it employs many techniques of impressionism (the 'looking through glass' effects) and even surrealism (a man ripping off his own head, the devil walking through the house). I really enjoyed this tender look into the lives of one family and look forward to watching more of Reygadas' work.
Many people found this film to be confusing, lacking a plot, art- house nonsense. Perhaps they were right and perhaps I'm just an art nut but I was all but awestruck by the piece. In Post Tenebras Lux, (Light After Darkness in Latin) Carlos Reygadas gives a beautiful and insightful look into the lives of a family living in rural Mexico. It may seem confusing and heady at first but to me, that is an over- complication. What I got out of this film was a simple and unique portrayal of the ordinary and mundane which can even sometimes seem shocking to us because realism is not a frequently employed style in film. Another thing, is although it may appear to be meandering and slow at times, (and perhaps ultimately is) the long scenes of a family just waking up, a reunion, an argument in the kitchen, a conversation at a bar- they all give us a deep and insightful look at the members of this family so that we can really connect to them on an emotional level which is something every film must do so as not to simply be a bunch of images flashing across the screen, and this one does so very well. Although it is ultimately realist it employs many techniques of impressionism (the 'looking through glass' effects) and even surrealism (a man ripping off his own head, the devil walking through the house). I really enjoyed this tender look into the lives of one family and look forward to watching more of Reygadas' work.