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| Ultima (Miriam Colon) instructs Antonio (Luke Ganalon) in the respect of nature that is the heart of spiritual healing. |
By Nicholas Ware
Bless Me, Ultima is
the film adaptation of Rudolfo Anaya's well-regarded and well-loved 1972 Chicano
coming-of-age book which I've never read. Now, I imagine if I grew up in
Texas, California, or the Southwestern US, a dog-eared copy would sit on my
shelf beside To Kill A Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies. Instead the
movie is my first and so far only introduction to the story of Antonio Márez, an
8-year-old boy living with his Catholic family in WWII-era New Mexico, and
Ultima, a spiritual healer who comes to live with him. The film is written and directed by Carl Franklin, a veteran film and
television director better known for the smokey, sweaty Denzel
Washington-starring neo-noir films Devil
in a Blue Dress and Out of Time. He seems an odd
choice to foster the story of a young Hispanic-American boy and a curandera,
but his steady and practiced hand produces some imagery that features lush
natural beauty and evocative lighting, especially in night scenes.
However, the film is not without some glaring flaws. As an adaptation, it often tells us what Antonio is thinking, rather than shows us. Alfred Molina lends his gravitas as the adult Antonio telling the story, but his narration--with its poetic and measured structure--contrasts significantly with the story told visually which seems more homey and nostalgic. Additionally, some themes never quite coalesce in a satisfying way. Antonio is torn between his devout Catholicism and his belief in Ultima's shaman magic, but the climactic scene of this conflict, where Antonio pretends to be a priest and absolves one of his non-believer friends of his sins, plays strangely. Partially to blame is the child acting, which just doesn't hit the right notes. Line readings by the children are stilted, and while Luke Ganalon, who plays Antonio, has a wonderfully expressive face, his words never contain strong conviction. The adults fare much better, especially Miriam Colon as Ultima, who gets to be warm, wise, and a bit of a bad-ass, and convincingly so.
Also working against the film is its paper-thin villain character. The conflicts of good and evil, both as forces in the world and forces in the hearts of men, are discussed in the film and given an appropriate level of ambivalence. One character even describes evil as misunderstanding and good as empathy, which is so much more nuanced than the representation of evil that the murderous Tenorio embodies. Not only does he sport a bad-guy black hat for most of his appearances in the film, but he stalks the frame like a mustachio'd villain in a 20s silent. Considering the breadth and depth of the film's theme's, the flimsy antagonist works against the supposed philosophy Franklin espouses. Lastly, as with most adaptations, the film suffers from some pacing problems with time passing in uncomfortable chunks, seemingly important moments abandoned for more superficial plot strands, and quiet reflection avoided in order to get to the next chapter.
Despite these problems, the film holds attention for the veracity of its specific historical and regional culture. Ultima, the film's most compelling character, slips out of the storyline's focus for 20 minutes near the end, but returns to bookend the proceedings appropriately. The whole experience has a feeling that works, as opposed to being a clinical exercise in storytelling, similar to another coming-of-age story that was recently adapted to the screen, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. In both films, plot elements might seem rote or melodramatic, but the aura of earnestness shines through winningly. Where narrative fails, the uniqueness of Bless Me, Ultima's cultural history and its commitment to rich and vibrant Chicano spiritual and artistic traditions makes it a laudable achievement and a film worth viewing if you can forgive it some missteps. At one point, Ultima tells Antonio that "the smallest bit of good can stand against all the power of evil in the world." Bless Me, Ultima's good is certainly more than a small bit, and stands against all of the mistakes made in its construction.
Bless Me, Ultima opens Friday, February 22nd at Cinemark Festival Bay 20, Regal Winter Park 20, Regal Pointe Orlando 20, Regal The Loop 16, and AMC Downtown Disney 24. Rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual references. Run time 1 hour 46 minutes.
