 opening scene had a neon light flashing in its opening scene about the kind of film that was ahead){kind=link}
The first scene of a film is often very telling about the kind of film you’re going to embark upon. It’s all about setting the tone. That said, I try not to judge my experience of a film by an opening scene, but I will often take it as an indicator or a warning. The Other Way Around (Volveréis) opening scene had a neon light flashing in its opening scene about the kind of film that was ahead, one that thought itself clever but in action was rather dull. The premise of the film was a couple that decides to separate and have a separation party with all their friends/family in attendance. In this scene, Ale (played by Itsaso Arana) says the idea of a separation party is a good idea for a film, but she’s not sure about the reality. Now, having seen this film, can I say with certainty that the concept of a separation party works for a film? No. Perhaps if the party itself actually happened in the first act and then it was the repercussions of said party being explored, but this film was all about getting to the party, and we just met this couple at the juncture of them saying they were going to separate. But we didn’t know them before they got together. We’ve only met them at this moment where they say they want to separate but aren’t presented with reasons why. They still seem to love and care for each other and want to be around one another. And they are not shown desiring connections with others. So, when everyone keeps saying they don’t believe they are going to separate, why should the audience believe they are, but more importantly, why should we care?
The biggest problem with the film is that it is endlessly repetitive. Most of the movie is spent with scenes of Ale and Alex (played by Vito Sanz) telling people about their plan for the separation party, who almost always act with shock or disbelief about what they are doing. They also are constantly recalling the reactions of others to the news in these scenes, providing exposition of scenes the audience has already witnessed. It repetitions on repetition. And the thing is, the filmmaker Jonás Trueba isn’t unaware that he’s doing it. In fact, as Ale is a filmmaker in the film, and is presumably making a film-within-the-film chronicling the separation, there is an entire screening room scene that point blank states that it is redundant. However, self-awareness does not absolve Jonás Trueba of these sins because they still exist, and they still drag the film down, making it a slog to get through. The film is almost 2 hours long, and most of those two hours are only very slight variations on the first phone call they make 10 minutes into the film when Ale and Alex make their first invitation to their separation party.
The thing is, Itsaso Arana and Vito Sanz are compelling actors and, in the scenes, where they just interacted, and we got to see why there were a couple in the first place, there was something more to this film, something I would have liked to have seen explored more. They were really good together, both in quiet action moments and in little verbal spares. They were believable as a couple. Just we did not have enough other context to invest in this story of a possible separation that never felt tangible and that was a hard obstacle for them to get us over.
The Other Way Around (Volveréis) premiered as part of the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
© 2020-2024. UniversalCinema Mag.