Surprisingly complex & emotional. Not what you would think after the initial lighthearted beginning. It's not just another "zoom" film but an intimate, heart-wrenching and heartwarming film about connecting with people (esp with people you met online) and how can it change your life in bits and pieces.
Language Lessons
2021
Action / Comedy / Drama
Language Lessons
2021
Action / Comedy / Drama
Plot summary
A Spanish teacher and her student develop an unexpected friendship.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
COMPLEX. EMOTIONAL.
Love from Afar
Will buys his husband Adam a package of 100 weekly Spanish lessons, to be delivered by video call by Cariño, a young woman in Costa Rica,. Very quickly, they turn into therapy sessions, then friendship, then maybe love, despite Cariño's attempt to turn the lessons back to the subject of grammar.
This was the Opening Gala at Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ film festival, which often features straight-friendly movies. One artifice was numbering the "lessons", which made the events seem to happen too fast, even with some video messages between lessons. While the writers / actors wants us to focus on their relationship, I was left wondering how Adam was idle "rich", with a large house with pool in Oakland. Also, despite having been previously married to a woman, Adam seems to play the part of a cosseted wife, ignorant of various family affairs.
Finally, I was not keen on the final scene, for which I deducted one star.
One of 2021's best and most heartfelt
Quite the hard-hitting drama that uses videoconferencing software in an effective way (compared to inane horror movies),and at times felt so human it hurt. Parts of this were like the Duplasses and Natalie Morales (who is so good in this) had an inside track into my psyche/history. And there was a good amount of humor to leaven what very quickly becomes serious subject matter, of importance to this particular moment in time for sure, but also eternally applicable. This is the story of how we get to know, care for, and love each other, regardless of circumstance. I just thought it was beautiful, and I hope it gets recognized in some way.