Little Ashes
Little Ashes, directed by Paul Morrison, tells the story of the early lives of poet Federico Garcia Lorca and the painter Salvador Dali and the love that blossoms against the backdrop of Spain’s tumultuous political years.
Well-known Twilight actor Robert Pattinson nearly makes this movie unwatchable; an atrocious Spanish accent that more than once begins to sound very British, he, on occasion, captures Dali’s eccentricity very well. However, for most of the movie, I found myself wishing for more scenes without him, focusing on Lorca, who is played by Spanish actor Javier Beltran.
Beltran captures Lorca incredibly well, and saves the movie. Homosexuality at this time was not tolerated, and his hesitance and shyness about his feelings for Dali are enough to tug at your heartstrings, especially when his friend, Luis Buñuel, expresses his distaste for the gays in Spain, spitting out the slur “maricon” at the sight of them.
As Lorca and Dali begin to grow closer, they leave to the seaside town of Cadaques, and find that their feelings for each other are more than just that of friendship. It is perhaps the most believable and poignant (as anybody familiar with the actual history of Lorca and Dali will know) part of the movie. It is ruined, however, by Lorca’s reading of his poetry. Most beautiful in its original Spanish, every time Lorca reads his poetry, his deep, beautiful voice is marred by a voiceover in English.
That is probably the most upsetting part of the movie. Why not just use English subtitles?
Despite Pattinson’s less than stellar acting abilities, they have great chemistry, which peaks during a scene where they have rather physical contact. Their relationship was infamously never consummated, but the sexual tension between them is illustrated in an incredible scene where Lorca and Dali are reunited after spending awkward months apart, and Magdalena, Lorca’s friend who is in love with him, desperately tries to seduce him. She sees that Dali and Lorca were compromised, but she doesn’t care, and Lorca and Magdalena have sex while Dali watches.
Most of the acting, with an exception of Pattinson, is spot-on, and all in all, it’s a beautifully done movie- very aesthetically pleasing.
I do recommend a slight knowledge of Lorca, Dali, and Buñuel during the fascist years of Spain before watching this movie, but it’s not necessary.
Spectacular supporting performances by Marina Gatell and Matthew McNulty as well.
