Biutiful meets extreme reviews, both positive and negative

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu presented his film Biutiful Monday at the Cannes Film Festival. Reviews are falling on both ends of the spectrum, with critics and viewers feeling very strongly about it in either direction.

Viewers exiting the screening yesterday were unanimously positive. Several viewers claimed they were so moved that they were truly incapable of discussing it at the moment. One spectator said, "I can't talk about it. I'm still in the movie." While another claimed, "A movie like that will change you forever."

The Hollywood Reporter agreed with these viewers, describing the film as: "A gorgeous, melancholy tone poem about love, fatherhood and guilt." The Rope of Silicon also sang Bardem's praises. Its article read: "The emotional range he has as an actor was tested in every scene and he absolutely never comes off as someone trying to emote… he just does."

Indiewire.com, however, did not share these positive sentiments, accusing Inarritu of misunderstanding how to successfully put together the tools of melodrama. The review said: "A thoughtful movie lies somewhere beneath the many extraneous layers of Biutiful, but finding those hidden layers of poetically formulated dissatisfication would be an impossible task." 

Though the responses are varied, Biutiful has certainly provoked a powerful reaction from its audience. With all the buzz it's getting, love it or hate it, Biutiful may just have the makings of hit. 

Lauren Ellison