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What can I say about this film… an EYE OPENER. A powerful film that would be quite heavy for some. It is the harsh reality of the growing problem of domestic abuse in Spain, a problem that was only recently addressed. Bollaín tries to touch on the side of the woman and the man, which was strong as within this issue you only see the effects but not the reasons behind.
Pilar (Laia Marull) is the wife of Antonio (Luis Tosar) and essentially the central figure of the film. She is the battered wife, who finally takes charge and leaves her husband taking their son, with her to stay at her sisters. She soon sees that there is a freedom to being by herself, yet for her husband a life without her is something unbearable, so he attends a therapy group. Pilar sees that he is trying and going against her sisters best judgement starts to see him in secret and then gets back with him, even though it leads straight back to the abuse, mental more than physical.
It is clear that Bollaín wants you to feel sympathy for women and maybe the reason why they stay with men like this. Yet a the end after an awful episode for Pilar where husband degrades her, she decides to leave and this is what the heart of the message is, that women in these situations do not need to feel inferior and that they are strong enough to stand a up and leave.
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