Abel (Diego Luna, 2010) Mexico

Reviewed by Tamara Mamukelashvili, Viewed at Grauman’s Chinese theatre, AFI film Festival, Hollywood

The film Abel is a story that drives its audience into a very abnormal and unique life of a single mother with 3 children. One of the boys that return home after a long time being in the hospital realizes, through family pictures that father is missing. That’s when the story takes us to another level that creates the comic side and shows the dramatic side of the boy’s mental issues. Which is underlined by him trying to fill out the space of the father that’s missing.

The film is very well made. In terms of mise-en-scene the film was very visual and very much followed the story, set the mood and highlighted the environment. for example there were fast jump cuts when Abel would get upset, camera movement would start to be very uncomfortable that helps us as an audience be more engaged to the story and the character. the film through out including the visual and sound elements is very effective and easy to follow.

Its an interesting side of a mental disease  that the child goes through, very family oriented , effective filmmaking, character driven and entertaining.