Review of Biutiful (2010) by Nick A — 09 Jul 2011

It runs a solid 20 minutes too long and its weighty story seldom allows for a breath, but there's something ironically affirming about Biutiful and its hapless characters -- and while I'd be comfortable accrediting such to Iñárritu's snarky-yet-sharp direction (particularly his knack for capturing lasting images of ordinary subjects), I think it's mostly the consequence of the performances, all of which are terrific, though none as perfect as Bardem's, without which the film's inborn dread would surely be more emotionally suffocating than absorbing.