Location: NY
"Our Father"
Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Produced by Agustin Almodovar & Michel Ruben
Original Score by Javier Navarrete
Film Editing by Frank Reynolds
Main Cast
Javier Bardem - Ricardo "Ricky" De Los Santos
Joaquin Phoenix - Leonardo "Leo" De Los Santos
Jay Hernandez - Gabriel "Gabe" De Los Santos
Adriana Barraza - Angelica De Los Santos
Edward James Olmos - Ricardo De Los Santos, Sr.
Emmanuelle Chriqui - Karen (Gabriel's Fiance)
Diane Lane - Julie Trevor
Rob Lowe - Gary Trevor
Roselyn Sanchez - Laura (Leo's Wife)
Tagline: "One Dead Father, One Grieving Mother and Three Scorned Sons"
Synopsis: Leonardo De Los Santos (Phoenix) just got word that his father (Olmos) has died and must go to his funeral in the town he grew up in Texas. Leo is in his mid 30s and lives in California with his wife Laura (Sanchez) and his two sons. He immediately tells his wife that he must fly down to Texas. His wife, Laura, volunteers to go with him. He tells her no. When asked why he refuses to answer. She keeps pressuring him for an answer. This frustrates him and he yells at her to leave him alone. In New York, Gabriel (Hernandez) recieves the news as well but does not want to go to the funeral. Gabe is in his mid 20s and left the town in Texas right after he graduated High School and vowed to never go back. After much persuasion from his fiance, Karen (Chriqui) he reluctantly decides to go to the funeral. Leo asks Karen to go with him and she agrees. When Leo and Gabe get to their hometown they find their brother Ricky (Bardem), a priest for the local church trying to get his parish back. Ricky was involved in a scandal two years ago in which he was accused of molesting a boy. He went to court and was found not guilty but he never regained the town's trust. He's also tormented on a regular basis by the boy's mother, Julie Trevor (Lane). He was assaulted by the boy's father, Gary Trevor (Lowe) but was restrained by Leo and Gabe before he could do any major harm to their brother. Gabe and Ricky's relationship is awkward. Gabe half-heartedly says hello to his brother. This is mostly due to Gabe's distrust of his brother because he believes, like the rest of the town, that Ricky is guilty. Karen doesn't understand the awkwardness between the brothers.
The three arrive to the home in which they grew up. There they find their mother, Angelica (Barraza). She is a shell of woman. She smiles and laughs but when you look into her eyes you can see that she has been dead long before her husband, but when could this have happened? And what could have been the cause? Is it because she became a mother at a young age? Or is it because of the violent relationship she had with her husband (Olmos). No one knows except Angelica. Leo is worried about his mother. He knows that she has been under a lot of stress. She has been left by herself. Her husband is dead and no one will be going to the funeral because no one wants to go to the funeral of a man who raises a child molester. Although Ricky still lives in the town, she and he have very little contact. Ricky suspects because she does not want to be seen with him. The truth is far more heart breaking for Angelica. Leo asks his mother to come live with him in California but she does not accept. Leo was never really close to his mother. He was always closer to his father. Although Leo was aware of his father's temper, he could always speak to him. He remembers coming to see his parents a few years back. He was eating dinner with his father while his mother served the two. Angelica (Barraza) dropped a dish and this is when Ricardo (Olmos) started to berate her. He could see his mother look to him for some type of intervention but all he did was look away. He later glanced back and saw his mother still staring at home with tears in her eyes. This is the moment he felt that his mother stopped loving him.
After the father's funeral, Gabe wants to leave town. He feels uneasy. Being there has made him think about why he hasn't returned since he left for college eight years ago. Karen(Chriqui) wants to know why. In a flashback we see Gabe's father's violent nature. Ricardo De Los Santos (Olmos) was a complex man. By the time Gabriel was eight years old both of his older brothers had moved out of the house. Ricardo (Olmos) had taken up to drinking heavily and become extremely violent towards him and his mother. Gabe mostly because whenever he tried to attack his mother he would use himself as a human shield. This went on for years until the night he left home. He had graduated from High School and was out partying with his friends. When he got home he found his dad drunk and beating on his mom. Gabe of course came to her defense but was struck down by his father. Enraged, Gabe got up and struck his father down. Angelica (Barraza) pulled Gabe (Hernandez) and scolded him for hitting his father. Later on Gabe will confront his mother in an intensely emotional scene demading to know why she took his father's side and not his.
Meanwhile, Ricky is feeling the stares and whispers of the townsfolk as he walks through town. He ignores them and goes about his business. While in the market, mothers pull their children closer to them as he walks passed. He bumps into Julie Trevor (Lane). At first they both try to ignore each other but then Ricky feels that he needs to speak to her. This has gone on long enough. Mrs. Trevor tries to remain calm but the thought of her son being the victim of a sick pervert is too upsetting. She lets her emotions get the best of her. She begins to yell at Ricky about her son and how he will never be the same. She tells him not to come to her with the pain of being pegged a child molester because her son will have to go through life being the boy who let the priest touch him. This is a highly emotional scene. At this point a group of people start surronding them. After a friend of Mrs. Trevor takes her away, a group of men start to encroach on Ricky. They tell him that he is not wanted in the town and that he should just go away. Ricky tries to defend himself but just enrages the group of men and they begin to attack him.
The De Los Santos have so much more to confront each other on. With their patriach dead and buried their secrets and feelings become unearthed. Can they work out their differences and become one united family or will the secrets they discover about each other widen the gap between them?
What the Press would say:
Almodovar brings another wonderfully crafted family drama to the silver screen. Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, Jay Hernandez and Adriana Barraza all give career defining performances as a family dealing with issues that have been haunting them for years. Jay Hernandez and Adriana Barraza play well off each other as mother and son. Jay Hernandez finally was able to elevate himself into the kind of actor that we've caught glimpses of in other movies but was not ever able to see. The most difficult thing about this movie is trying to place these actors in either Lead or Supporting roles since they share about the same amount of screen time. It is no doubt to be a contender come Oscar time.
Best Picture
Best Director - Pedro Almodovar
Best Original Screenplay - Pedro Almodovar
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Javier Bardem
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Joaquin Phoenix
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Jay Hernandez
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Adriana Barraza
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Diane Lane
Best Original Score - Javier Naverrete
Best Film Editing - Frank Reynolds
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