Cinefile

There aren't a whole ton of films these days that can get away with minimal dialogue and an extremely simple premise. The movies that do try the meditative approach (such as the “mumblecore” genre) commonly fall into pits of self-indulgent meandering and smeared impact. I feel that for such an aesthetic to resound successfully, a contemporary filmmaker has to prove an unshakeable confidence in his or her subject matter and display simplicity in an engrossing way. Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio's Alamar comes close to achieving this idea but falls just short of it.

The film tells the story of a father, Jorge (Jorge Machado), and his young son, Natan (Natan Machado Palombini), as they spend one last visit together in Jorge's home in the Mexican Caribbean. Jorge takes Natan on fishing trips and teaches him about animal, sea and plant life in the area. As Natan's return to his mother nears, the realization falls heavily on the father and son.

Alamar is a soft-spoken film that essentially plays out like a nature documentary with bits of drama tossed in. Although the father-son bonding experience is the backbone of the story, the director is more interested in portraying the splendor of the Mexican Caribbean. He wants to show how the environment effects their relationship, rather then the other way around. The wildlife, the exotic plants, the rickety paint-worn sea shacks – each aspect is a colorful character that breathes life into Natan and Jorge's experience.

However, the film's successes ultimately lead to it's failures. After watching it, I couldn't help but sit back and wonder if it was too slight for its own good. Yes, the cinematography is beautiful. Yes, the development between Jorge and Natan is heartfelt and realistic. Yes, Natan's experience with nature is endearing. But something didn't work. Even with all these positive elements riding high, Alamar still feels inconsequential.

While the director's drawn-out shots provide a naturalistic tone for the film, it makes the movie feel too much like a lukewarm special you would see on National Geographic. I appreciate that Gonzalez-Rubio is trying to mesh drama and documentary. However, I feel the fantasy has to be just as evocative as the reality in order for such a style to work. While Alamar is far too bright-eyed to careen down the dangerous cliff of self-indulgence, its impact is spread thin due to an over-reliance on subtle, real-time development.

DVD Special Features:

The special features, like the film itself, are bare-bones. The Film Movement DVD features include a text-based biography of director Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio, a trailer and extra scenes that didn't make the cut. The extra scenes are the most interesting section of the special features, providing further experiences between Natan and Jorge. There is a scene where Jorge teaches Natan about the habits of hermit crabs as they watch one walk along the beach. The scene is intriguing to watch but lingers too long to exude any desire for it to be included in Alamar.