Who the Hell Is Juliette? (1997)

Excellent but underrated film

Excellent adaptation.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This doc won a lot of awards, largely, I think, because it's 'different,' in that it doesn't follow the usual narrative arc of documentary film-making. Its greatest achievement, in my mind, is that it doesn't rely on the usual rogue's gallery of talking heads that consume three-quarters of most documentaries. Depending on your mood, 'Who the Hell, etc.' can be engaging and even dazzling. Some of the cinematography, particularly around Havana's iconic Malecon seawall, is spectacular. When I discovered that Mexican director Carlos Marcovich is a music video specialist, why was I not surprised? The film is loaded with signature cinematography that appeals to the MTV mobs: panorama shots, razzle-dazzle hand-held work, fast cuts and clips, alternating black&white/colour, faces that suddenly appear and speak, five different locations (we're not sure at one point if we're in Mexico City or Havana), and a 'story line' that is often confusing.Juliette is, in 1995, a 16-year-old Havana prostitute who is a study in contrasts. Her mother died violently when she was two years old, and her father left for the U.S. a year earlier. She is a child of the streets who can be be endearingly playful yet often irritating; she mixes delightful youthfulness with a maturity beyond her years. Toward the end of the film, she finally goes to Mexico City to visit her father Victor, whom she has not seen since she was a year old. Needless to say, it's an awkward reunion.This can be interesting film, particularly when the often-impish Juliette tries to explain her philosophy of being. In the end, we can answer the question 'Who is Juliette?' by saying, 'We're not really sure because she doesn't know who she is herself, but she's trying'.A huge let-down on the DVD extras is a 2006 update on Juliette, replete with footage of an ailing Fidel Castro. But it's entirely in Spanish, with no subtitles, and my rudimentary knowledge of the language left me befuddled. It was a huge -- and insulting -- mistake by the distributors, who had no trouble providing full subtitles for the film itself. This often happens with extras on DVDs -- crucial subtitles are missing. It's inexcusable.

I liked this film, even though I was lost most of the times. The subtitles didn't help. White on white doesn't work! I feel I got robbed from a good chunk of the film. But I still liked it. The cinematography is beautiful, the people too. Yuliet and Fabiola have completely different background, but they do have one point in common: they're both fatherless. Along their quest to learn what happened to their father, we get to see what is their daily life. Some scenes are very emotional: the one where Fabiola is crying in silence for example.Seen at home, in Toronto, on March 14th, 2006.74/100 (**½)

I was introduced to this film by a friend of mine. What drew me tothe story, more than anything, was the theme of fatherless youngwomen. I, too, was a fatherless young woman up until lastNovember when I finally met my biological father--a physicsprofessor from Venezuela. Fabiola, the beautiful Mexican model, and Yuliet, the beautiful,sassy and broken sixteen year old prostitute from Cuba areamazing to watch. Both young women grew up without knowingtheir biological fathers and carry emotional baggage and painlocked up in their hearts. Although, the subject matter of childprostitution, despair and intense identity crisis seem heavy, thefilm is funny and uplifting. It also is emotionally rich and may verywell make you cry. I found myself wishing the best for both youngwomen. Their beauty and strength of character really struck achord in my heart. Thank you to the director and the young womenwho brought so much to this story.

For anyone who has even a passing interest in comely young Latin women, check this movie out. This doc features two of them, both reasonably intelligent and interesting, discussing their lives and doing an admirable job of appearing natural in front of the camera. Fabiola is shown to be a successful model from Michoacan, while Juliette is a wild young street urchin in Havana, partying and trying to stay sane despite what appears to be a very difficult life. Oh, and if you had any doubts, this movie will settle the issue for you: All guys are pigs, evidently.