Review of Beatriz at Dinner (2017) by Kevin M — 13 Sep 2017

I love what this movie wanted to do but, for me, it didn't achieve it's goal.

It seemed like it wanted to make a case for how we can direct evil in the world through Salma Hayek's character, Beatriz. But, at the end of the movie, I was left feeling the same as when I went into it. I wasn't any more inspired to change the world. Maybe it's because I'm already inspired enough, but I doubt it.

I think the problem with the movie is that it tries to direct too much evil in too tight a setting (a dinner party). Pollution. Pessimism. Hedonism. Greed. Racism. Killing for sport. Urban sprawl. Little doses of evil are offered throughout the movie (mainly through John Lithgow's character) but it's too much to swallow for Beatriz, let alone any real person.

All this results in Beatriz's suicide at the end? Is this her answer for directing evil in the world? This doesn't inspire much hope for those on the side of good vs. evil. If the goal of the movie was to show that evil is a weed that can't be uprooted, then mission accomplished. But what a hopeless goal.

All this said, Connie Britton's character helps gives us good people a sobering sense of how we look when we drink with the enemy and act passively in its presence.