The true story of a group of Galician women with heroin-addicted sons that began a brave fight against the "narcos" who dealt in drugs there in northern Spain, in the 80's decade. "Heroína" (Heroine) is a different view of the drugs world from the one we're used to: this time the drug-addicts and the spiral of disaster they create around them are not the protagonists. The protagonists are their brothers, their fathers, and, overall, their mothers. That's the point the movie emphasizes the most. We're barely told about the judicial proceedings that were taken against all those narcos (the more of them ended up in prison).
Let's put something clear: Gerardo Herrero is not exactly one of my favorite directors. I don't think any of his movies are worthwhile. His work have always serious troubles to look credible, no matter what genre he gets involved in (and he's got involved in some different genres). He's not elegant, he hasn't many skills, and there's a lack of originality in most of his works. This time, in his travel through the world of the social cinema he demonstrates he's not Ken Loach, nor even Fernando León De Aranoa. "Heroína" is a correct film, and a necessary tribute to all those brave mothers that challenged those drug-dealers putting their own lives in risk. As for the movie itself, the rhythm is rather uneven, the dramatic tension disappears in some moments because of the bad work of the youngest actors and the bad editing. Also, the way the movie ends causes the feeling of having watched an unfinished product.
Nevertheless, Herrero had the best hidden trick: Adriana Ozores. Adriana's capability to create characters is just astonishing, and his talent gets bigger and bigger as the years pass by. She's so good that his work clashes with the younger actors' so much. She deserves all the prizes in the world (but we all know prizes has nothing to be with real talent).
That's all...by now.
*My rate: 6/10
Let's put something clear: Gerardo Herrero is not exactly one of my favorite directors. I don't think any of his movies are worthwhile. His work have always serious troubles to look credible, no matter what genre he gets involved in (and he's got involved in some different genres). He's not elegant, he hasn't many skills, and there's a lack of originality in most of his works. This time, in his travel through the world of the social cinema he demonstrates he's not Ken Loach, nor even Fernando León De Aranoa. "Heroína" is a correct film, and a necessary tribute to all those brave mothers that challenged those drug-dealers putting their own lives in risk. As for the movie itself, the rhythm is rather uneven, the dramatic tension disappears in some moments because of the bad work of the youngest actors and the bad editing. Also, the way the movie ends causes the feeling of having watched an unfinished product.
Nevertheless, Herrero had the best hidden trick: Adriana Ozores. Adriana's capability to create characters is just astonishing, and his talent gets bigger and bigger as the years pass by. She's so good that his work clashes with the younger actors' so much. She deserves all the prizes in the world (but we all know prizes has nothing to be with real talent).
That's all...by now.
*My rate: 6/10