Review of Jauja (2014) by Samir S — 07 Jul 2015

Freefloating like a untied boat on water, the film flows freely and at its own pace. It never tells you anything but leave you with the quest of understanding itself. Mortensen plays the father to a young girl that travels around and seeks jobs.

He fears for her safety as a real father would and really does anything for her. She on the otherhand doesn't really obey him and disapears with a boy. Mortensens character Gunnar then starts to search after her and the film turns into a testament for how much he cares for her.

The pictures in this different frame rate are for the most part still and quiet and beauiful, and not good looking but natural and astonishing. The film is not however for everyone because of its slow pace and unanswering of questions the story makes you ask.

This film doesn't have that much music but is replaced with the blowing wind, waves splattering agaisnt rocks and birdsong that gets interupted by different languages, shouts and gunfire. Honestly brutal when depicting violence and violence that have meaning which is when you can understand why people do what they do.

Mesmerizing and for the third time beautiful in so many ways with Mortensen giving a fine performance among the well written and realistic script. Funny and sometimes weird, this film is going to take you several viewings to understand but is not a burden because of its professional execution within bringing out emotions of the characters so you understand them, cinematography, great and sudden music and performances.