Arturo Ripsetin has become one of Mexico's most acclaimed filmmakers and one who has highlighted different characters and themes. His latest film, "Bleak Street," takes a look at the worlds of prostitution and wrestling, bringing together themes of corruption and abuse. The end result is a difficult watch led by great performances.

"Bleak Street" tells the story of two elderly prostitutes who are no longer wanted. They are both providers to their households. Dora (Nora Velasquez) has problems at home with her teenage daughter and her crossdressing husband. Adela (Patricia Reyes Spindola) suffers from loneliness. The two women are at the center of the story, but mixed into their stories are twin midget wrestlers who mistreat their wives and have mommy complexes.

The film is incredibly bleak, as the title denotes, and Ripstein only enhances this by filming in black and white and choosing gritty locations. For example, Dora's bedroom is extremely claustrophobic and disorganized, while Adela's room is filled with clutter with no room to move.

Ripstein also chooses to film in long takes, never cutting to closeups, which makes the audience an observer and creates a more visceral experience.

When Dora finds her husband crossdressing, Ripstein plays out the full action. Dora and her husband argue, and he eventually hits her. Ripstein moves the camera and follows the characters, but when the violence happens, he chooses to show it through a mirror, lessening the effect. Instead it enhances the audience's voyeurism. The audience is able to view the drama, but there is a distance to it.

Ripstein also plays with the concept of frames within frames. Each time Nora and Adela are presented, they are always framed within corridors, staircases or doorways. This enhances the fact that they cannot escape this gritty world. One key moment for this effect is when Dora goes to pickup a prescription. The camera is on the side of the pharmacists, and Dora is behind a counter surrounded by bars. The image is reminiscent of a jail cell, and it foreshadows what is to come.

The black and white adds another layer, as it creates a film noir look. At times it's hard to distinguish locations, and this adds to the claustrophobic and trapped state that these women live in.

It can be hard to identify with any of these characters as they mistreat their loved ones. However, the actresses give their characters great depth. Spindola's Adela exploits her mother for money, but the actress adds some tender moments, particularly at the end that make her sympathetic.

Velasquez's Dora is clearly a damaged woman with very little love. Regardless of the fact that she has a daughter and a husband, neither one of them respect her or show her any affection. Velasquez gives Dora some strength, but there is vulnerability behind that toughness.

Silvia Pasquel's, as the mother of the two midgets, Doa Epi, is a revelation. Pasquel's character has two sides. She has unconditional love for her kids, but she nastily mistreats her daughter-in-law and her husband. She also exploits her sons' wrestling talent for money.

Overall, Ripstein's "Bleak Street" is a compelling narrative that will prove harsh and grotesque. However, it is a compelling film that will stay in the viewer's mind long after it's finished.

Related