While attending to the Guadalajara Film Festival screenings i could catch up with this Mexican independent movie made in Monterrey that had me with a feeling of suspense and curiosity.
Few years before, i attended the screening of the previous film by the same director, Jesus Mario Lozano, "Así" at the Monterrey Film Festival. I have to admit that when i saw that movie, i felt that i'd just watch the worst, most pretentious, plain and failed movie in my life. And i still feel that way about it. That's why i was so skeptical about "Más Allá de Mí".
For my good surprise, it wasn't that bad at all. Though it stills lacks of film knowledge and even mastering of the technique, we can see the director's evolution. It's a very good example of acting direction, production design, photography, and how to get a film "acceptably" made with a very low budget by using the medium economy. And all that is very admirable.
Even it still is very pretentious it can be understood and watchable. The film deals with the lives of youngsters who reside in Monterrey and live together, they have to give house to a couple from another state that is hiding from the family of her, because she is pregnant. The focus on the actions is on the human relationships between them, and in very second grounds, their environment: things happen within them, and in the society and country where they live. Just like in real life.
The main problem with the film is precisely the idea that characterizes it. "Making a point of view of things just like in real life". That won't work on films, because they are not real life. Real life is boring, and one has to keep the audience emotionally entertained in order to send the expresivity and the message. And it has a lot of unnecessary nudity.
It's a watchable film, with very good points and a few good moments, though still very pretentious. Watch it if you must. But we can see a director who is learning and little by little making himself a true professional.
In the screening Q and A, there was a polemic discussion about the quality of the film that is not very important, but the director said that people who didn't like "Así" would like "Más Allá de Mí", perhaps he was right about me, but is not so different, because this film still has his style in it.
I hope to see him refining his method, shaping it and changing it, and i hope to see his next film very soon, i think that i won't be disappointed either. I only hope that he truly takes all the critics that he gets and uses them for his own artistic benefit. Very good improvement!
-Mau-
