Impressions from TIFF 2010: Even the Rain

In Even the Rain, a Spanish film crew, lead by the director Sebastian (Gael Garcia Bernal), travels to Bolivia to shoot a movie about Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World. Structurally, it brings to mind some of Larry David’s more self-referential moments, but in a dramatic, instead of comedic, context. (Think the fourth season of Seinfeld, where Jerry and George create a show within a show, or the seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, where at one point, Larry David plays himself playing himself.) There are extended scenes of Even the Rain that essentially show the finished product of what the Columbus film would look like. It's a credit to the filmmaking that these scenes carry an emotional impact even though that we know that, as a movie within a movie, it’s two levels removed from reality and requires double suspension of disbelief.

Of course, if the movie relied on an interesting structure alone, it would devolve into gimmick. Thankfully, Even the Rain effectively uses the layered structure to reflect the different attitudes of the characters and the ethical issues of the situation they find themselves in. It's clear that Sebastian's goal for his Columbus film is to denounce the mistreatment and exploitation of the Native Americans while lionizing the Spanish priests who defended the Natives' rights. At the same time, the film crew hires local Bolivians of Native descent as extras, and brag to their producers about having cheap labour. In other words, the themes of the film they're making reflect and contrast against the themes of the film that we, the audience, are watching.

In particular, the character of the actor who plays Christopher Columbus in the inner film is very complex and multidimensional. As Columbus, he is completely inconsiderate towards the Natives, which is what the role requires. In his interactions with the other actors who play the heroic priests, he is callously skeptical of their idealism and doubts if they truly believe the same things that their characters believe. However, as the conflict with the Natives escalates, he shows yet another side to himself that was previously unexpected.

All in all, Even the Rain was entertaining and thought-provoking. It becomes a bit generic towards the climax, but I enjoyed the first act so much that it earns its melodramatic ending.

4 out of 5