VENICE 2021: La Caja
The Match FactoryLorenzo Vigas' La Caja is a brooding, tentative, and tender – yet only surface-level – examination to the potential this story could and does approach. Following this story through the eyes of a child adds not only a disturbing but an immersive vision of internal struggle. Undeniably helped by Hatzín Oscar Navarrete, who crafts a splendid performance that just about rides a path of stoicism and coldness, elements that are revealed and explored through the story at hand. It is not a performance that grows with significant depth or in a quantitative manner, which can be said for the feature in its entirety from director Vigas and co-writer Paula Markovitch.
What the viewer sees is what the viewer ultimately gets; while this is in no way negative, it puts considerable weight into the material being able to stand up on its own two feet. The weight is just about manageable for the performances: sufficient enough with the above-mentioned performance from Navarrete. Hernán Mendoza adds another layer of enigmatic stoicism, and his performance works well in tangent with Navarrete. Both characters come together to find one another but, in virtue, ultimately come learn about themselves.
It adds an interesting and tender angle, but what further does it provide than a character-driven story with minor characters? The story does leave certain elements up for audience interpretation, but that feels almost as if it is the last thing that would truly matter with concrete or inspired interpretation regarding this story – galvanising and accentuating this little depth offered into larger character moments that either divert from the story at hand or feel underwhelming, sometimes resorting to both.
Beyond the surface of material, La Caja is superbly shot by cinematographer Sergio Armstrong, who captures the longing and isolated scope of setting and place within this region. It looks not only stunning but feeds into the thematic nature of proceedings. Ultimately showcased in a feature with great pacing and never outstaying its welcome, Vigas' La Caja offers an emotional look into the sins of father and son with little consequence to show for it but lingers enough to stir the internal emotion inside the viewer.
