Chicago International Film Festival 2016: Kékszakállú

Operatic overtures meet a coming-of-age story for a group of Argentinean women in Kékszakállú by director Gastón Solnicki. This film is inspired by the opera “Bluebeard’s Castle” by Béla Bartók, and the musical pieces throughout the film signal transitions for these women as they grow from teenagers to adults, taking on new responsibilities and creating families. While the premise does seem interesting and the various shots of the film are colorful and crisp, this is not a film that has a lot going on. Most of the film's shots are static, showing landscapes and establishing the settings these women are in, such as a pool, their apartment complexes, some work areas, and other environments. Also, there are no names given to any of the women or characters either, so it is hard for the viewer to connect to any particular personality. The movie does a good job in showing how a typical person grows and matures and takes on more adult responsibilities, but the plot or ideas don’t really captivate the audience or keep them interested in the long run. And the operatic background kind of feels out of place, even though it's a signal for major changes to the characters’ timeline. While there are occasionally beautiful camera shots, a bit of decent action and character dialogue, as well as a good story about maturing into adulthood, “Kékszakállú” in the end isn’t a film made for remembrance or inspiration, but just for the moment-to-moment joys and pains of growing up.

Grade: C-