"it’s a mesmerising tour-de-force by Bardem"

Biutiful tells the story of Uxbal, a terminally ill devoted father of two, in a complex relationship with the mother of his children. He helps illegal immigrants get work in his hometown of Barcelona, Spain, such as African street-sellers, and Chinese immigrants working in a warehouse. Oh, and he can communicate with the dead.

It’s an emotional and gritty tale, full of harsh realism that really portrays the underground and the illegal world of immigrants and how they go about obtaining work and accommodation. But that’s just a side note; the real story is all about Uxbal, and his terminal illness. He has two children which he looks after himself due to having separated with the mother, who is sleeping with his brother and suffers from bipolar disorder.

Uxbal, therefore, is struggling: on the road to redemption and preparing for death. And the performance of Javier Bardem is simply sensational. For a man dealing with so much, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, Bardem portrays all of his character’s undoing and pain with just his facial expressions. In his eyes you can sense regret, sadness and bitterness. He looks solemn right from the word go, before you find out about his illness, you can sense that he is a man on the decline.

It’s a mesmerising tour-de-force by Bardem, but sadly the film itself doesn’t match his performance. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a well-made, touching and extremely poignant feature; but a lot is unexplained in a story that leaves much to be desired. Director,  Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel, 21 Grams) has, in many ways, created a film which allows Bardem to show off his acting credentials. The script isn’t fantastic, but it carries a terribly bleak atmosphere, showing a different side to Barcelona to that which we are generally accustomed; which Bardem encapsulates enigmatically.

Also, the film has a fantastical element to it; but keeps such themes subtle and to the imagination. Uxbal can communicate with the afterlife, possessing an unnatural talent, and one which also provides the character with more money, as he exploits those mourning as well as those illegally in Spain. Despite his exploitation of such people, it isn’t done in a way which makes him un-likeable; in fact it’s far from it. He appears almost like a saint, providing shelter and money for those suffering and peace of mind to those mourning, despite making money in the process.

As for the fantasy elements to the feature, it’s odd how scarcely they are mentioned or performed. You would think they provide the film with more profundity and depth, yet they are barely mentioned. His bizarre talent of communicating with the dead is abnormal and outlandish, yet the film focuses much more on the family values and the personal life of Uxbal and his illness, rather than this aberration.

It’s a fascinating feature, and one which is quite difficult to comprehend, but it’s imaginative and the performance of Javier Bardem alone is enough to make this film worth seeing.  It’s bleak, gritty and emotional - and in some cases, rather perplexing, but it is artistic and well performed, and a fine return from González Iñárritu, with his first film since Babel.