Abel

Luna's excellent debut deals with the unconventional form of the Oedipus complex - the boy Abel occupies the position of the father in a disturbed family, having lost his speech after his father’s departure (and with it his identity). Fearing another shock, the family begins to play this game with him, even when the real father returns. What's fascinating about Abel is the intertwining of comic elements (a boy pretending to be an adult is simply ridiculous) and tragic elements (the real father is so "impotent" that a loving child overcomes him in this role). Luna's film is shot very cleanly and neatly, the camera clears the way for the fascinating performance of Ruíz-Esparza, and the music colors the bleak atmosphere of the poor Mexican periphery. What I miss a little bit is the greater proximity of the narrator and the characters, sometimes as if the theme was dominant and Luna stayed an away a little bit (mainly thanks to the elegant filming). But this is just a small thing - Abel is a clear candidate for recommendation to general audiences. (30/03/2011)