Funny in parts, but overall didn’t deliver
Based on the 2007 play Cancún by Jordi Galcerán, Samana Sunrise was directed by the highly esteemed, award-winning director Rafa Cortés. Filmed in the Dominican Republic, this is a film about two married couples, Ale (Maria Luisa Mayol) and Santi (Luis Tosar), and Natalia (Bárbara Santa-Cruz) and Mario (Luis Zahera).
During the celebration of their twenty years of friendship at the resort, Ale confesses that had it not been for her, the couples might have ended up the other way around. This unsettling revelation upsets everyone except herself. Shortly after, Ale takes a hit on the head and wakes up into this reality.
The outline of the plot makes it clear that it is designed to be thought-provoking; however, it just felt vague and not properly formed. Although there were some really funny bits, the overall feeling was that the film didn’t land how it was supposed to. It also didn’t end properly—but unlike other films with open or ambiguous endings that leave you really thinking, this one didn’t do that either.
One of the key reasons for this was the acting of Mayol, who plays the central character around whom the plot revolves. While Tosar, Santa-Cruz, Zahera performed well, Mayol was somewhat emotionally steady throughout. Whether this was a deliberate choice, a result of the script or direction, or simply wooden acting I am not really sure. However, as the emotional tone of her character didn’t shift much, everything felt unconvincing.
That said, the one thing I will give a solid 5 out of 5 for is the music. The musical compositions throughout were beautiful, and I found myself remembering them more than any part of the plot or dialogue. I even did a bit of digging afterwards to find out more about the soundtrack as it definitely stood out. Composed by Chilean musician Daniel Puente Encina, who is known for his diverse musical style, the music did what it could to enhance the moods of each scene – making it the film’s best success.
Sumana Sunrise is showing as part of the HSBC Spanish Film Festival at Palace Nova Eastend and Prospect.
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