Foreign Pick: Live-In Maid (2004)
Dora has worked for Beba as a live-in maid for decades. Even though the former still refers to the latter as “ma’am,” they have grown comfortable with each other, to the point where they resemble roommates rather than boss and employee. Nevertheless, they find themselves at vastly different stages in their lives.
In the wake of an economic crisis in Argentina, Beba Pujol has lost most of her fortune. Once a proud member of the upper class, by the beginning of the film she’s shown spending her days drinking herself to sleep, attempting to sell ancient valuables and beauty products in order to pay the bills, and unloading her frustrations on her maid. She often talks about her daughter who studies abroad in Spain but somehow never returns her calls – you can imagine why.
On the other hand, Dora is on the verge of moving into a new home with her boyfriend and, due to her long-standing loyalty to Beba, hasn’t demanded payment from her in months. She quickly becomes fed up with her boss’ attitude, and ultimately quits her job, thus leaving her old friend to fend for herself. The film mostly deals with the aftermath of Dora’s resignation and her unwillingness—or inability— to completely give up on Beba, and the instability of a crippled society in the early 2000s.
Written and directed by Jorge Gaggero, this modest, overlooked gem showcases the truly amazing Argentine film industry legend Norma Aleandro as Beba and then-amateur actress Norma Argentina as Dora. The sheer power that goes into their performances is unlike anything I’ve seen in recent Hollywood movies. That being said, don’t expect this movie to blow your mind with the might of an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you cuddling with your pillow in a puddle of your own tears. This one’s a slow-burner – dialogue only comes into play when the scene utterly calls for it, so you might as well get ready for some good ol’ long, awkward silences.
Published: May 12, 2014 12:14 pm