Nora's Will (2008)

Just perfect...

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The film begins with a man going to his ex-wife's apartment to deliver some frozen meat. However, after looking over her place twice to see if there were any clues as to where she was, he finds her--dead. Apparently she killed herself--and did an amazing job organizing her life for the family. For example, all the food that the family would need for Passover was there--made and labeled in the refrigerator. But, the story has a few hiccups. First, the ex-husband really despised her in many ways. For example, although she was a Jew, he deliberately finds her in a Christian cemetery and with a VERY Christian coffin--talk about passive-aggressive! Second, although I never knew it, apparently some Jews look upon suicide much like many Catholics see it--like it's a mortal sin and you cannot bury such a person in consecrated ground! Really. But, there is one more hitch that unexpectedly develops--something the dead woman did not anticipate--a stray photo.To me, this is a great example of a film that is expertly crafted but lacks one very important thing--a story. So, while I can really admire the acting (particularly Fernando Luján) and the director had a really deft artistic touch, the story itself left me flat--very flat. The biggest problem is that I kept expecting all the story elements to come together into something magical--something that would make this film worth while. But, unfortunately, it just never came. The sum of all the good parts just couldn't outweigh a story that seems like it should have seen at least one more re-write.

This is a very impressive film. For all its quiet and introspective moments, the film offers a very comprehensive study of how people develop relationships through the years, mostly through the process of observation and communication. Sometimes, one might not listen enough, or might be avoiding the obvious, that which does not please us or satisfy us in a most immediate manner.After Nora dies, it is up to her relatives to "pick up the pieces" and organize the proper funeral arrangements. Her husband Jose is the person who starts the process, only to discover that there is much he doesn't know about who his ex-wife really was. Gradually, we are introduced to many of the important people in Nora's life, learning how each of them related to Nora while she was alive.At first, we get the impression, Nora's demise is a little illogical. When we first see her apartment, everything is properly located and organized, there a sense of compulsive behavior in the way everything seems too neat, and yet we discover her life was far from perfect. Soon, Jose must confront religious men to plan her funeral, and we sense plenty of tension, leading to some very uncomfortable moments that will make the arrangements difficult to carry out. In essence, it all seems to originate in the way Jose and Nora related to each other.We have flashbacks that help us understand their past, beautifully presented, with faithful attention to period detail, to give us a good sense of nostalgia and the passage of time. There is also plenty of attention given to the way different people express their views and show their actions when dealing with Nora's death. There are several sweet scenes that show the level of closeness that existed between Fabiana and Nora, and we can almost believe that this relationship might have provided much comfort to Nora in times of need.Soon, we also meet Ruben, the child who has much devotion for anyone he considers family. He has been in the middle of the conflicts and is much like his father, even though he resembles his mother. Watching him grieve is heartbreaking, and at times it is frustrating how hard it is for him to take a stand because of the love he has for both of his parents, his wife and children. He is the perfect embodiment of respect and devotion.There is a fascinating performance by the man who plays Jose. He is able to show love, faithfulness, pain, loss, and many other feelings as the film reaches its conclusion. His eyes are extremely expressive and allows us to feel much more involved because we learn and we feel as he gets closer and closer to the truth. It is a magnificent and quiet performance."Nora's Will" is an interesting title because it is a play in words since the whole film is a reflection of what Jose says: "she wanted it all to be her way, perfectly planned to the last detail", and yet, we learn her life was at best fractured from early in her marriage. It's a series of contradictions, just life happens to be. The title is Spanish is "Cinco Dias Sin Nora" (Five Days Without Nora), and it's a bit on the ironic side because those five days are the ones when her presence is felt the most. Everyone is closer to her than they've ever been, seeing her, calling her, expressing her feelings about her, and finally tending to her every need.Indeed, a beautiful movie.

As the story begins, we watch a woman setting up the dining room table, as though for a celebration. She has been cooking up for a dinner, but we do not know what is the occasion. Something peculiar, we never see the woman's face, just her activities around the kitchen and dining area. When the man delivering packages of meat does not get any answer at the apartment's door, his alternative is to bring them to Jose's place, across the street. Jose Kurtz turns out to be the former husband of Nora, the woman we saw earlier.When Jose goes to Nora's place, he is shocked to find her dead. It is clear to him she committed suicide. Jose being Jewish must contact the rabbi in order to set the funeral arrangement. The rabbi objects to Nora being buried in sacred ground, upsetting Jose. Having to deal with the problem, he decides to go to a local funeral place where he contracts for the necessary details to have her buried in a regular cemetery. "Nora's Will" directed by Mariana Chenillo, is a dramatic Mexican comedy that explores the clash between traditional Jewish culture and that of the country in which the story is set. In flashbacks we get to know what happened between Jose and Nora and what caused their divorce. The fact that Jose has only moved across the street from his former wife, speaks volumes. While he is not openly grieving, memories of a happier time in his marriage comes rushing to his mind. Fernando Lujan playing Jose makes an impression. He is stoic facing the final preparations for a wife he stop living with a long time ago, but in reality he has not stopped loving her. An in a way, finding the binoculars used by Nora to spy on Jose, also indicates she has not completely forgotten of the man she fell in love.Ms. Chenillo's debut shows a new talent in the Mexican cinema.

A lethargic beginning is never really overcome in this very slight, mildly interesting and amusing film. Complications from the death of the eponymous title character eventually provide some conflict but the main tension for too low is between the ex-husband and his memory of the controlling woman he left 20 years ago, only to move next door, ostensibly to keep an eye on his son. Never bad and not poorly paced for its slight content, the main problem is a concept that just isn't developed enough. The story as presented here could've made a strong short film but is ultimately meager at feature length, despite a few twists and fine acting.