Death is never easy. Becoming close with someone only to lose them is incredibly hard thing to overcome. My sister and I were extremely close with my grandmother when she passed away in 2001 of cancer. One of my sister's first tattoos was to commemorate her memory. I, myself, have three tattoos for her on my right arm as well. We were young. We didn't understand death, we didn't understand how something like this could happen. Like Iron Man said in Endgame, "a part of the journey is the end".
Next year will be 20 years since she left this world. I often think, would she proud of the man I've become? The amazing woman that I married and the work that Victims and Villains strives to do every day of the week. There is peace in death. Even though, that person isn't with us anymore. They are free from pain. There is an odd sense of peace in that. That's the focal point of the final film from Hector Babenco in My Hindu Friend. While the project was shelved in 2016, following his death, and even though it enjoyed some life on the festival circuit - it finally will find full life in a limited run.
Friend chronicles a film director (Willem Dafoe)'s fight with cancer and his ultimate success of surviving it. As I previously, death is hard. A focal point in the first act of this movie is for Diego (Dafoe) to find ways to overcome the cancer. It's heartbreaking to watch this tale unfold. Perhaps, though, even more than the prospect of death what makes this story so sad is the fact that Diego marries during this process. His wife, Livia (Maria Fernanda Candido), is an incredible force. Candido pours herself out into this role. Every inch of the screen that she exists on is flawless. She's passionate, glowing and a haunting portrayal of how hard this process is - absolute magnitude of delight and beauty. She is incredible.
Equally as incredible is Dafoe who goes through an array of events throughout its two-hour run time. Going from dying, befriending a young cancer patient, being a husband, and even rebuilding - Dafoe rises to every occasion with grace though. Never allowing a dull moment within the film. While the performances of the film are beautiful, Friend is a completely other story. Aforementioned, Dafoe's arc beckons a variety of different sequences. Some of those sequences that challenge the tone of the film. It happens quite often where the film is going in a strong dramatic direction - only to end up some fantastical even for just a second. It's inconsistent at times. By the time that Dafoe comes out of the hospital, the tone gets even worse. Friend slowly fades from drama to a series of scene collections. Its bizarrely handled and sloppily told.
Overall, My Hindu Friend, is as sad as its subject, but for different reasons. The film is home to incredible performances from Willem Dafoe & Maria Fernanda Candido. The marriage between them is tragic, beautiful and heartbreaking all in the same breath. Their respective performances, and alongside one another, help to shape the film into a respectable drama. However, the film lacks direction and cohesion to tell a story worthy of said performances. The film has multiple storylines picked up and bought down over its duration. Its inconsistent tone and choppy editing echo a final product that is sloppy, at best. My Hindu Friend was lost and remains as such.
RORSCHACH RATING:
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Music by Beggars. My Hindu Friend is property of TriCoast Pictures & Rock Salt Releasing. We do not own nor claim any rights.