hyped garbage

A Masterpiece!

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

I've come to notice that Iñarritu likes to show perspective in characters. It's almost as if he feels guilty for not showing all the people involved in the story. But that's not to say he has no focus. This movie definitely made me feel depressed and every movement felt painful. I liked the subtle hints of the paranormal, they're shown as something natural for the characters, a twist of magical realism for such a melancholic movie. There's this moment where the protagonist tells his ex-wife to drop down the cigarette, however, when she's smoking in the dinner table again, he says nothing. Those seconds lingering on the shot give an entirely different meaning to the scene. Perhaps he's tired, perhaps he's said enough. Biutiful manages to make one feel awful as they watch the character's life, guilty as they see him in agony and, for the very first time in my case, the film makes death seem peaceful. Because maybe it really is.

Unlike 21 Grams and Amores Perros, Inarritu deviates from the 4 lives - 1 story line - and completes his "Death Trilogy" with the story of one man, Uxbal, who touches many lives in some way shape or form, and appropriately is able to sense the dead and help them pass on safely to the after world. Uxbal is not perfect. Although you can tell he has a heart of gold, he makes a living helping illegal immigrants find work, always with his cut of the pay. Although for the most part, people trust him and turn to him for help, sometimes his good intention land him in trouble. Biutiful is all about paradoxes. The title is the Spanish phonetic spelling of "Beautiful" yet most of the film is set in the lower income, gritty neighbourhoods of Barcelona. Uxbal uses his ability to ease the dead of their debts in life and sort out their affairs, yet he struggles with settling his own affairs. Even his relationships with other people are paradoxes - he is obviously not completely okay with her promiscuity, yet he understands - he is harsh and strict with his son Mateo but does not stand for his wife's physical abuse of him - but his most important relationship is one with himself. He reconciles this by learning to let go, learning to let the universe take care of everything, as Bea, his healer confidante, had told him.Biutiful is a beautiful film, but it is not perfect. There are some plot holes that are left unanswered (for example, whether the Chinese immigrants receive justice for their death, whether Uxbal's grief is ever really atoned). I think these unanswered questions are left open to interpretation though, as that seems to be Inarritu's style in these type of films. A great watch, although dark and at times deeply depressing, there is a small glimmer of hope at the end of the film - and I think that's what important to take away from this. Despite everything, life is biutiful.

Before death, we try to make amends with our earthly abode before entering the great unknown. We have all these duties and obligations that we earnestly try to fulfil, and at times its overwhelming, but having it all lifted is the last step that we oddly struggle with.Uxbal has a tempestuous mother for his kids, failing health, numerous impoverished families relying on him, and now only months to live. With all stability starting to collapse and brokenness surrounding him, keeping his composure is an insurmountable task, let alone trying to build everything back up. With life soon coming to a sudden halt, acceptance of the universe to still continue on is a hard pill to swallow. Biutiful is the story of the man who tried. In the end, we finally come upon the realization that we may never be able to fully amend our past...and that's okay.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's movies are either deep, insightful, moving works of art (eg Amores Perros, Babel) or dull and pretentious (21 Grams). Biutiful, unfortunately, falls in the latter category. It had potential (as did 21 Grams) but it soon becomes apparent that getting through it is going to be an ordeal, especially when you note that the running time is 148 minutes!The central plot could have been condensed into a tighter, more interesting, quicker-paced 90-100 minute movie. Instead it is drawn out to its maximum extent. Has its moments though, but they are few and far between.Solid performances but everyone seems to be acting in slow-motion, in keeping with the slow pace of the movie.Overall, a good cure for insomnia.