Beyond What Remains

Wow, I was really blown away by this film! I was taken on a wild emotional journey from beginning to end. I found my self engaged in a fair amount of self examination of my own by the end! There is nothing, and I mean nothing predictable about this film. Beyond What Remains explores the complexities of a father-son relationship and the fall out from closely guarded secrets. The raw pain of a love affair discarded and unfulfilled is also sensitively exposed. While a mother's enduring and pure love for her child is beautifully presented in this film. These themes of love and loss are thoughtfully and exquisitely rendered. The vast and arid Mexican landscape is stunning and expertly shot. It provides a perfect backdrop for the precarious journey Fernando and Teresa have taken together. Peter Tharos offers a wonderfully nuanced performance as Fernando. His conflicted feelings about his father and his own legacy brim perfectly to the surface. Nora Medina Chavez as Teresa expertly portrayed a difficult life can awry. I was so unexpectedly emotionally impacted by this film. Beyond What Remains reminds us of the enduring and healing power of love and the preciousness of life. I just can't recommend this movie highly enough...It really is a gem!