Elisa & Marcela (2019)
Stars: Natalia de Molina, Greta Fernandez, Sara Casasnovas
Runtime: 118 minutes
Synopsis: In 1901, Elisa Sanchez Loriga took on the identity of Mario Sánchez to marry her lover of fifteen years, Marcela Gracia Ibeas.
Performances: 3/5
Screenplay: 2/5
Costumes/Makeup: 4/5
Editing: 2/5
Cinematography: 4/5
Score/Soundtrack: 3/5
Verdict: A black and white period piece about the first same-sex marriage in Spain, "Elisa Y Marcela" had all the ingredients to become one of this year's very best films, and maybe even a serious Oscar contender. Alas, a mediocre script came to spoil the party and give us instead an incredibly dull, by the books narrative that was filled with avoidable, unsubtle clichés.
That is not to say that the film doesn't have any redeeming qualities to it. In fact, I found the composition of some of the shots to be breathtaking and the acting to be quite effective overall. The set and costume designs used to capture the early 1900s era were also convincing. The film's main strength was undeniably its gorgeous aesthetic and outstanding attire. Unfortunately enough, the script that came with it wasn't nearly as engaging as it fell into a tornado of cheesy lines of dialogue and extremely unsubtle scenes. While the chemistry between the main two actresses was definitely there, I didn't buy their relationship for one second as the way it developed over the runtime of the movie never felt organic in the slightest. There were a lot of scenes that felt insanely out of place and prolonged (what the hell was up with those sex scenes?). The pacing was also problematic as the film dragged quite a bit, especially in its third act, and some of its transitions were simply awkwardly handled.
I wouldn't call "Elisa & Marcela" a horrible watch, but it definitely was a frustrating retelling of what is on the surface a fascinating true story. I'd still recommend checking it out since it's available on Netflix, but I do hope that these events are given the movie they deserve sometimes in the future.
That is not to say that the film doesn't have any redeeming qualities to it. In fact, I found the composition of some of the shots to be breathtaking and the acting to be quite effective overall. The set and costume designs used to capture the early 1900s era were also convincing. The film's main strength was undeniably its gorgeous aesthetic and outstanding attire. Unfortunately enough, the script that came with it wasn't nearly as engaging as it fell into a tornado of cheesy lines of dialogue and extremely unsubtle scenes. While the chemistry between the main two actresses was definitely there, I didn't buy their relationship for one second as the way it developed over the runtime of the movie never felt organic in the slightest. There were a lot of scenes that felt insanely out of place and prolonged (what the hell was up with those sex scenes?). The pacing was also problematic as the film dragged quite a bit, especially in its third act, and some of its transitions were simply awkwardly handled.
I wouldn't call "Elisa & Marcela" a horrible watch, but it definitely was a frustrating retelling of what is on the surface a fascinating true story. I'd still recommend checking it out since it's available on Netflix, but I do hope that these events are given the movie they deserve sometimes in the future.
FINAL GRADE: 5/10
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