MovieChat Forums > La teta asustada (2009) Discussion > Disappointing

Disappointing

posted 13 years ago by estratton422
9 replies | jump to latest

I had been very interested in seeing this with my Peruvian wife and was greatly disappointed after viewing it together last night. A maddenly slow and incomplete film that draws out 30 minutes worth of story in an hour and a half, I really wanted to appreciate Milk of Sorrow, but I kept getting annoyed with the languid pace of the main character and entire story.

I realize this is sort of an art house wet dream, but it's also the sort of pretentiousness and constant use of allusion with the somber music that are sort of the ABC's of the art house films. Now, I don't need car explosions nor my hand held within a story, but I do need some character development, (better) context and an actual story with some connections. Instead, I get some random destroyed piano, which represents, well, I have no idea. It certainly wasn't related by the director to the story.

I did, however, enjoy the cinematography with its peak at the hills of Lima, a place that always fascinated me on my trips there. Unfortunately, I feel the film did little further regarding a place, Peru, with a number of potentially amazing stories. In the place of a great film, I feel I got the equivalent of a film student filming someone's face for an hour with the requisite fawning of the dullness by fellow film students whose main criteria appears to be making projects as inaccessible as possible.

[–] mark11111 13 years ago

I agree 100% and my wife is also from Lima and felt the same way. The pace of the women made her look lazy or crazy in some way, we could not relate to her character. As you said, it was nice, although also sad, to see the shots of some of the poorer areas around Lima.

[–] fluffynelly 13 years ago

"I get to think lowly of this film because my wife is Peruvian."

You guys... the film's about colonialism. It's about the white people stealing from the indigenous. There are so many symbols to evaluate on top of that AND apart form that. .

Honestly... "30 minutes worth of story"? I could sum it up in one sentence if you'd like:

"White exploits indigenous person."

It's not going to help you get it anymore. And it's definitely not going to show you the present circumstances and repercussions of colonialism.

But you didn't get it in the film either... so what attempt can I make.

[–] estratton422 13 years ago

I'm guessing you think this profound message is a worthwhile substitute to a boring film with poor dialogue, a meandering storyline and an uninteresting plot? Otherwise, I've got two history degrees, have been to Peru a number of times and am quite aware of the effects of colonialism.

So, no, I don't think I get to think lowly of this film because my wife is Peruvian. I get to think lowly of this film because I am a person with a brain and an opinion. I don't see why I shouldn't "get" to think lowly of any film, especially one that is as terrible as this one.

But, thanks for confirming my point about pretentiousness. I guess I'm just too stupid and uncultured to reach your visionary status with this sort of film.

[–] cinesimonj 11 years ago

One person confirms your point? I think you've shown just how easily swayed you are.
Your comments regarding pretentiousness show a very insecure person. Therefore, attack others. Sorry kiddo - but that will only work for so long. If you really are a person with a brain, you should have figured out by now that such a distraction from your own problems only works for a small period of time. I guess you could go down the rabbit hole even further, like so many right wingers have done, but it will only make you more unhappy. As it has them.

In short, grow up.

[–] AnAmateur 12 years ago

The piano as well as the pearl necklace seemed obvious, at least to me.

For most of the people in the town, the death of Fausta's mother was a passing event. They continued their bizarro weddings in stark contrast to what Fausta was experiencing. Fausta's reality was shattered. The entire movie is about overcoming grief and putting the pieces of one's life back together. Fausta and the gardener first cleaned up the piano, and eventually Fausta collected the pearls. I think it's important that she did not string them together, though. To me it sends the message that you can pick up the pieces, but what made them whole--what made her whole--is gone forever.

I respect your dislike for the film, but I disagree that it was dull. As far as incomplete...did you want to see the explicit rape scenes or watch Fausta's mother have to eat her dead husband's penis?

[–] Trackmaster 11 years ago

What profound message? Rape and murder is bad? Gee, I could have told you that without having to make a boring movie about it.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] ppolo29 10 years ago

Just to note that Peru is a lot bigger tan Lima. You may like or not the film, but, in order to discover some particularities out of it, you will to sand from a more Andean visión tan from a Westerncentric one.

To my perception, this is a potic movie rathar than a narrative-based one: you see the world throguh the eyes of Fausta. That is precisely what I like the most from <<La teta asustada>>: both Magaly Solier´s and Claudia Llosa´s ability to view Fausta´s world instead of a pure documentary about Peruvian migration to Lima. In other words, I loved Solier´s (acting and singing) performance and the film cinematography.

Best regards

PC

[–] 10 years ago

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