Very good performances and a few effective scenes
Judge Daryl Loomis, DVD Verdict-- Directed by Josué Méndez (Days of Santiago), Gods is a solid film, overall, but one with a few problems. He directs the film with a certain amount of style and draws good performances from all the actors, but the satire is too understated and I was left lacking the sense that he really takes a bite out of the Peruvian upper crust. He portrays the family as pretty scummy, and Elisa, while sometimes a sympathetic lead, comes off appropriately shallow, but I found the film to be a little bit that way, as well.
Because the characters and performances are good, I'm left to blame the story for the problems. While not badly told, necessarily, it feels as much like a slice of life film as anything else. Without a structured plot, it meanders until it ends and ends without a punchline. Truly effective satire must be pointed, and an open-ended storyline is a big hindrance to that. By allowing these characters to move freely in their...
Okay!
Visually, the girls alone are enough to buy the video. I first saw this on a cross country Virgin America flight, a very progressive airline apparently. A messy and unsatisfying movie in some ways, but movies are sometimes a window into things you don't necessarily encounter or want in your own life. I didn't like these people but that doesn't rule out watching them.
A close look at a privileged family in Peru
The beautiful fiancee of the rich patriarch is finding out what marrying this man will entail in terms of her new position in society and dealing with his rebellious teenage children. This is really well done and a fascinating study of these people and their problems. I don't want to give away where it all goes, but just say that I found the film a rewarding experience! Highly recommended.
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