La Influencia

La Influencia is the type of open-ended, opaque slice of miserablism that is the festival circuit’s meat and potatoes but won't gain publicity elsewhere.

Dour to the point of making Michael Haneke look like Judd Apatow, a lone concession to the audience is its eighty-four minute running time.

Non-professional actress Morales impresses in a brave, near wordless performance as the morose madre and her real-life offspring Jimenez and Manzanedo are likeable presences as the kids forced to fend for themselves.

But, writer / director Aguilera’s muted style and the sheer detached bleakness is ultimately alienating, and an audible sigh of relief is likely to accompany the (music-less) end credits.

That supreme naked Emperor Carlos Reygadas, director of the lamentable Battle in Heaven, is on producer duties is all you need to know.

Rob Daniel