Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Biutiful” is his third Oscar nominated movie in ten years (“Amores Perros,” “Babel”). Iñárritu also directed 21 Grams, which was widely released in the United States and heavily praised for its acting.
“Biutiful,” like most of Iñárritu’s other work, is a gritty examination of inner conflict for the protagonist. Javier Bardem plays Uxbal, a low level criminal, organizing the trade of counterfeit bags, made and sold by illegal immigrants. He also has terminal cancer, two children to support, a bipolar wife, and can see the dead. Bardem’s performance earned him an Oscar nomination, the first for a role spoken entirely in Spanish.
It’s obvious that Bardem is one of the best actors out there, with his best work is reserved for very solemn characters. His voice remains monotone, and body stationary, conveying a wide range of emotion through his face, which is both deformed and handsome at the same time. Bardem does this with such ease, something that other strong actors, like Leonardo DiCaprio, struggle with and prevents them from being recognized come award season.
Overall, the movie was interesting. I’m not sure how necessary Bardem’s sixth sense was to the film, but it made for some pretty creepy moments. I would recommend the movie to anyone who’s stuck in the February/March movie slump, and has already seen all the other critical favorites of the season.
