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It’s a disturbingly honest, straight-forward movie that doesn’t rely on a happy ending or “normal” people in order to be touching. Bunuel doesn’t put the blame on anyone per se nor does he hide behind the “It’s the society’s fault” cliché. It’s really tough to be good when you live in crucial poverty. Even the blind man, who we’ve felt sorry for at the beginning, turns out to be a pervert

Pedro tries really hard to be good because he wants to gain his mother’s love more than anything. He is abandoned by her and the society. He is left on his own at a very early age.

His mother refuses food and love to him for which Pedro is very hungry. She was raped at the age of 14 and Pedro reminds her of this incident. In her opinion, she has every right to be insensitive and ignorant. We shouldn’t question our mother’s unconditional love (almost by default) but Bunuel seems to disagree..When she realizes her mistake, it’s too late, as Pedro’s corpse that passes her by.

I was truly shaken by this movie’s bitter reality and to me that’s what makes it memorable.