A Very Stylish Tale Of Revenge
Blood is thicker than water. In the case of Jaime Jiménez that really couldn’t be truer. Your Son is a methodically paced revenge thriller, armed with a slick style and a plethora of long shots throughout. This Spanish drama is a distinctly artistic film too, one that revels in the shock and grief-soaked emotions more than the bursts of action that generally typify this genre. The first 10 minutes really set the tone and mood for what’s to come. Jaime is a surgeon by trade and the crazy, emotionally charged world of the hospital is a far cry from the general tranquility he experiences back home. These two worlds come crashing down around him when he discovers his son Marcos has been badly beaten outside a nightclub in the early hours of the morning. Overcome with grief, Jaime struggles to get a grip on his life as he learns that one of Marcos’ friends may just hold the key to finding the men responsible. From here, the rest of the film plays out in a relatively predictable manner, with Jaime hell bent on revenge and tracking down those responsible. There is a nicely worked twist at the end though that throws the entire thought provoking message around what you’d do to protect your family into some very dark waters. This is helped along by truly shocking images too and given that most of the film remains focused on Jaime, seeing these isolated moments really enhance the shock factor due to their limited presence through the film. Stylistically, every part of Your Son does an incredibly good job of driving home how deep Jaime’s grief really lies. The acting of Jose Coronado certainly plays a big part here but the use of music and long shots can’t be discounted either. Long stretches of silence while Jaime is driving, thinking about his actions contrast beautifully with haunting, jazz solos as things begin to bubble up and build toward bursts of brief action. All of this whilst continuing to showcase an abundance of long shots and plenty of camera movements depicting Jaime on the move. This simulation of movement is a recurring theme throughout the film too and really works as an analogy for Jaime’s grief. Walking, driving, running and even public transport are used to showcase how Jaime is feeling and whether he’s “going through the motions” or “driving” toward a particular outcome. It’s a really nicely worked move too and something that crops up throughout the film. While Your Son does have a relatively straight forward plot and doesn’t boast much that hasn’t been done before, the various stylistic ticks and decent acting make this a very good Spanish film nonetheless. While the long stretches of silence and methodically paced plot won’t be for everyone, those who can take to the pacing of this one are likely to be rewarded with a very stylish, well written thriller. It’s not perfect but the positives certainly outweigh the negatives, making it well worth checking out.
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