- Actors: Salma Hayek, Chloë Sevigny, John Lithgow, Connie Britton
- Director: Miguel Arteta
- Format: Color, NTSC, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1
- Number of discs: 1
- Rated: R
- Studio: LIONSGATE
- DVD Release Date: September 12, 2017
- Run Time: 103 minutes
Fueled by the
righteous indignation of minorities and lower class citizens forced to endure
countless slights from the privileged mentality of the richest sections of
society, Beatriz at Dinner feels like
a film that will have plenty to say. And at first it does, slowly building
tension in its simple scenario, before the narrative loses steam and stumbles
toward an uncertain end. The result feels like a narrative with a lot of
potential, perfect casting, some great moments, but very little follow-through.
The basic
premise for the film is brilliant, even if it begins to feel better suited for
a short film once the credits roll. Beatriz (Salma Hayek) is an immigrant from
a poor Mexican town who is now living and working in Los Angeles as a spiritual health
practitioner. After driving through rush hour traffic to visit a wealthy
client, Cathy (Connie Britton), Beatriz has car troubles that prevent her from
leaving. Cathy invites Beatriz to stay for a business dinner party that her
husband (David Warshofsky) is hosting, oblivious to the conflict this will
create.
Beatriz is shown
to be so unwavering in her kindness and patience that it is somewhat alarming
to see this demeanor fade away as she is confronted with a personality more
concerned with selfish gain. The guest of honor at the dinner is a notorious
real-estate developer named Doug Strutt (John Lithgow), known more for the
controversy brought by his poor treatment of employees and disregard for
environmental concerns than what he builds. This reminds Beatriz of a man who
built a hotel in her small Mexican hometown, and years of practicing yoga and a
peaceful existence are shattered by the encounter. After enduring his casual
racism and micro-aggressions for much of the meal, Beatriz suddenly starts to
lose her composure.
We spend much of
the first half of the movie feeling outraged for Beatriz, though the empathy
fades somewhat with her sudden outbursts. Whether it is alcohol, stress, or
frustration, Beatriz’s reactions don’t always feel as justified as we might
hope. On the flip side, Doug is often presented as somewhat likable, despite
some of his outlandish opinions and a general air of superiority to those
around him. He is also fairly affable, even when faced with Beatriz’s rage and
resentment. At a certain point it becomes clear that Doug represents all that
is wrong with the world in Beatriz’s eyes, which is a bit extreme despite his
clearly immoral outlook on life. So, in the end, we are left without a clear
villain to blame, even if it is clear which of them is justified.
Beatriz at Dinner is directed by Miguel
Arteta from a screenplay by Mike White, marking the third time the pair has
collaborated together. While the themes have certainly matured since their previous
films, the characters don’t feel as fleshed out. Despite the fantastic
performances by all involved, there is not enough development to make any clear
conclusions about any of the characters, and maybe that is the point. When we
are arguing politics with a person at a dinner party, they begin to represent
the ideas we resent, even if they are simply the mixed bag of opinions that all
humans beings are.
The DVD includes
no special features.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7.5/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
Special Features: 0/10
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