Mar de fondo (2020) User Reviews

I liked it. Not the "Before..." Trilogy obviously, but still good.

[insomniac_rod · 7/10 · 16 September 2021]

This movie is about dialogues and contemplating the greatness of the ocean.

Demián Bichir is a fantastic actor and commands every scene he is on. He is relaxed, discusses about his work and even gives the audience some interesting cultural facts about Mexican history (specially Revolution) and World Religion.

His character's life is monotonous, but in one day, he will be subject to different tests that he might want to publish in his next novel.

Bichir and Sasha González have very good chemistry and for some moments you can feel the sexual tension between them; although the best interactions between them happens when they share intimate things about their life.

Daryka seems to be your typical 2000's kid, but she has more depth and secrets that are entertaining to discover.

Not a lolita per se, but still intriguing.

It is a delight to hear the ocean's roar and calmness most of the movie's 82 duration.

Cinematography is very good; specially in (brief) night scenes.

Give it a chance if you are in the mood. Clearly, not for everyone.

It is the kind of movie that you watch for the dialogues and character development.

Interesting Day at the Beach

[ObscureFilmLover · 6/10 · 2 May 2024]

A middle age couple goes to the beach. There they meet their friends. The men hang out drinking beer. The friend has a daughter who has a friend, Danyka who is 15 going on 25. Armando is reading Siddhartha and drinking beer when Danyka approaches. She picks up an open bottle of beer and starts drinking. Armando quickly finds out that she is 15. They then wander the beach talking about everything from the climate crisis to her party experience.

It's obvious that Armando is in a how high position when she says jump. She goes, he follows. She pats the ledge and he sits. She casually talks about parties on the beach and going "skinny" at the parties. Being middle aged his interest is peeked. Then she shows him a room on the beach where she lost her virginity. He retreats and they go their separate ways. As he is passing past her house, he sees her standing in a doorway. He stops. She takes off her top and displays her breasts. He becomes interested. Then his wife calls for him and the moment passes.

In the last 15 minutes of the movie, Danyka's intentions are revealed. He returns to the beach and finds her on the beach chair. He gives her his book after putting his phone number and email address in it. She accepts it so he has a hope of getting something going with her down the road. Just then she jumps up and runs to the ocean where she hugs and kiss a young man, her boyfriend. Armando was just an afternoon's distraction for Danyka while she awaiting her boyfriend.

This was a very interesting film with a story line that runs contra to the current narrative where the older man is always the groomer and the young girl is always the victim. It features one of Mexico's better actors. Danyka is played by a model turned actress. She does a credible joy although her talent lies as much as looking great in a bikini and looking 15 when she is actually 21 or so. Although there was a sexual tension throughout the movie, it's much better that it wasn't acted upon by either Armando or Danyka.

Not so good

[maykermedina · 2/10 · 3 December 2020]

Too slow. very weak dialogues. performances without comment. nothing new. Only the ocean was the good performance.

Terrible

[ramirezliralaura · 1/10 · 9 May 2021]

No desperdicies tu tiempo viendo esta película. ¡Es terrible! Es muy lenta, mala actuación. Lo único bueno es la vista del mar.

Everything on this is bad. Don't waist your time.

[punkyello · 1/10 · 19 March 2023]

Nothing on this film is good.. Bad acting, Bad dialogues, Bad direction, Bad script.. Nothing really happened, just bad dialogues on unnecessary long shots. But the worst thing, in my opinion, is that doesn't seems to have a point. Adult man found a very young girl attractive, they talk and talk nosence, then he had a shot an do nothing. The end.

Even with this non plot could be interesting with good performance and nice dialogues, but no, nothing of sustence on the dialogues. Some good topics but, once again, pointless.

Is very clear what they tried to do with this film, painfully clear. They couldn't do it. We ended up with this college student movie. Don't waist your time.

Can't believe this movie isn't more visible in some way..

[carojoshua · 10/10 · 17 January 2023]

I have a feeling that if this movie was made at a time when it could have been taken in for what it was, not only would it have been more on everyone's radar but would have basked in awards ..certainly from festivals that still reward challenge and bold artistry.

I'm afraid given the themes and realism that everyone chattered the cartilage out of their knees quaking in the fact that it is un-apologetically itself and cares little for catering to what has now been deemed acceptable when it comes to portraying the difficulties of existence and it's often unforeseen trials & tests.

Really brought me back to browsing and trying to watch every Criterion film I could check out from the local library when I was a teenager, where I was brought on journeys from around the world without ever leaving my humdrum suburban town, one's that stick with me until this day. So unique in its quietness, and in its quietness - where patience has been dashed over a stone - how many will never give this the proper chance it deserves?

The camera work seems to start far and perfectly work it's way into every moment, closing in at the exact right moment to what turns the soul of the story. And if you have ever spent any time in a small mountain town or small local beachside haunt in Mexico nothing about this is extreme or political (not everything is or has to be!) - get your head out of the sand and stop thinking that some slogan you've memorized to not be ostracized by your peers covers the entirety of existence, the entirety of the globe and the complexity of different cultures!

If you at all have managed to stay out of the instantaneous nature of virtually everything and like a good challenge in filmmaking, one that rewards in the most subtle way possible, please do yourself a favor and take this on..

And when that special person who has survived through the gregarious nature of pumped out throw away forgettable content, who has also kept their finger on pulse of the soul comes to mind while watching, please don't forget to tell them to sit down and take this in as well.

Maybe creations of this fortitude will forever be in some minority but Godspeed anyone who is so bold as to walk out on a limb and make them for those of us who take the time to appreciate them.

Absolutamente bellísimo!! Que profundo! Mil Gracias!

To the rest that want to munch three pounds of popcorn to Marvel or equivalent offering..don't worry don't worry challenges to those monoliths such as these won't stop you from being satiated into oblivion..

Better then most u.s.a crap.

[leo_casta · 8/10 · 15 April 2021]

Heck i will even write its better thene the disney star war. I only wish it would go longer, i know it migseem like a slow movie but that waht good, it guive time to abosrd the moment in a enjoyable way instead of being forced down on us like holywood does.