A new film from Spain has been the subject of much pride and anticipation for the country as an intricate tale depicting their rich history and creativity. Inspired by the unfinished story of the same name by poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, and the play La piedra oscura by Alberto Conjero, La Bola Negra is an story spread between the years 1932, 1937, and 2017 involving a young man named Carlos (Milo Quifes) who seeks to join the local exclusive social club but is blackballed due to rumors regarding his being homosexual. 1937 introduces us to a young man named Sebastián (Guitarricadelafuente) who, after surviving an attack by the Italians in World War II is forced to join the Spain’s Nationalistforces to survive. He is assigned to guard wounded prisoner of war Rafael (Miguel Bernardeau) and obtain information from him but ends up falling in love with him. And finally, in 2017, we follow former playwright Alberto (Carlos González) as he received an inheritance from his estranged grandfather. Despite the protestations of his distant mother Teresa (Lola Dueñas), Alberto travels to claim the inheritance and learns of its importance and the complications of his grandfather’s life. All three stories trace journeys of self-discovery and family in Spain.
It would’ve been very easy for La Bola Negra to get bogged down in the complexity of following three separate timelines and stories, one of which being fictional. Directors Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo however are able to precisely interweave the three tales together that prevents them from bleeding into each other in a way that makes them impossible to separate and keep track of individually while following the overall narrative. Balancing three separate stories, one of which being fictional, involving three separate timelines is a heavy lift and from a technical standpoint, the directorial effort from the duo in sticking the landing must be lauded.
What the stories seek to explore involve self-acceptance and how the journey to discover oneself can have on one’s family. While one of the characters in these three stories is fictional, Carlos’ struggle to be out and proud as a homosexual in a culture that shames it serves as a stand- in for the keeper of his tale in Sebastián. Carlos’ story that culminates in his regret in having lived a closeted life that denied him the freedom and comfort of being true to himself serves as a warning for Sebastián that ultimately led to his abandoning his wife and daughter to live his truth. This decision had an immeasurable impact on not just his daughter Teresa, but her son Alberto due to the residual anger that Teresa holds on to for the rest of her life. It’s a complicated web of hiding and self-discovery and the resulting fallout. While Sebastián is able to find some happiness in his choice, the lingering effect of missing his family and how it affected Teresa and Alberto shines a light on the negatives of his personal affirmation. There is more to life than self-actualization as Alberto exists in a world where he can be an out gay man, but ends up just as tortured as his grandfather due to the choice he made and how it affected Alberto’s mother and thus his upbringing.
Though La Bola Negra features a precisely crafted and executed story, and themes that are interesting on their faces, the end product is mostly forgettable and not compelling enough to leave a lasting mark. The technical brilliance is there as is the strong concept, but the film itself lacks any emotional pull that compliments the strength of execution. The end result is something that’s strong in many ways, but feels hollow and by the numbers in other just important ways. Some may say that the disconnect for some may be in the specific way that La Bola Negra covers Spanish history but having a cursory knowledge of the historical background isn’t necessary for universal themes that resonate past borders, recent fare like The Secret Agent being one example. If told in a compelling way, such stories can cross that boundary and despite its technical prowess, La Bola Negra is unable to fully connect.
Image: Netflix
