DVD Mini Review - The Headless Woman

The Headless Woman, directed by Argentinian Lucretia Martel, is an interesting film. In the hands of another director it could have been a great film. However, Martel's directing style is such that leaves one wanting for more.

The film starts out a bit confusing and I think that this is done on purpose. We see some lower class kids - probably of Indian extract - playing in rural Argentina. Then we see a gathering of upper middle class people talking about being upset about a pool being built near a vet's office because there are turtles around. Does this make any sense to you? These people appear to be very shallow. We then see one of the upper class people, Veronica (Maria Onetto) (who happens to be a dentist) drive off. When her cell phone rings she reaches for it. But she doesn't get to answer it because she has apparently run over something. We see a dog in the distance (there was a dog with the kids at the beginning). Veronica is in shock and loses her memory. But it comes back after she realizes that she ran over something.

I won't say what happens next. But I think that the film is an interesting (there is that word again) exploration of how things go for you depending upon what class you are in. For my mind it doesn't go far enough but it is certainly a good enough film for a DVD rental. And it is anchored by Onetto's amazing performance. She really carries the film as a woman who doesn't know where to put herself.

Check this one out on DVD.