Nailea Norvind, Ana Serradilla, others in "La Otra Familia" [2011, Mexico]

Gustavo Loza's drama, "La Otra Familia" [Eng. Title: The Other Family] is about a young boy going through extraordinary tribulations in trying to live a normal family life.

But by making this film, the director had tried to tackle too many issues using a rather convoluted plot, which makes it doubly harder to write anything meaningful about it. The film as it stands is over two hours long, and he uses a lot of its time in trying and put his points across by dumbing it down for what could perhaps be a not-too-demanding but conservative audience, like those who'd watch day-time TV dramas. I think this could have possibly worked as a TV mini-series as opposed to a feature film. It is however competently put together - my only issues with it being the script and screenplay. The art direction is actually pretty good, and so is the soundtrack. But I liked his earlier film featuring a similar theme, "Al Otro Lado" better.

Hendrix is stuck with his wasted mother Nina despite her leaving him unattended for days on end during her frequent drug-trips with junkie boyfriend Patrick. Her worried friend Ivana leaves Hendrix at her friends' house - a wealthy gay couple, and forcibly puts Nina into rehab. But Nina escapes and throws a fit after learning her son is living with someone who's name Ivana will not disclose. The police get involved. In between all this, Patrick tries to sell Hendrix to a childless couple without Nina's knowledge to help pay off his debts with a drug dealer. There are further sub-plots involving other characters which makes the film even more complex, more than it really needs to.




Compilation: Nailea Norvind, Ximena Herrera, Ana Serradilla, and Ana Soler



Scene Guide:

• Drug junkie mum Nina had completely forgotten she had left her son Hendrix on his own for three days. Nina is played by Nailea Norvind.
• Nina is awoken only to find Caiman the drug dealer at the door - he had come to collect his money from Patrick, and tries to help himself to Nina in Patrick's absence.
• No nudity, but a brief comedic moment when Hendrix is taken to a wrestling match by the gay couple's servant - he doesn't want Hendrix to be influenced too much while living with his gay carers.
• No nudity but sexy of a married Augustín with his lover, played by Ximena Herrera, who seems to have an awesome set of curves - I hope we get to see more of her in the big-screen one of these days.
• Nina's friend Ivana lives with her lover Gloria. She joins Gloria in the bath and tries to console her (another story which I won't bother with). Ivana is played by the eminently watchable Ana Serradilla, and Gloria by Ana Soler.
• Nina has now reached the end of the road. Not a pleasant scene, but left it here purely for the record.

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