Juan Paulo Laserna's Sweet and Vicious is an emotionally devastating debut film examining darker aspectd of contemporary Columbia. The film is centered around Manuela, a 22 year old woman whose the daughter of wealthy parents who are among the Columbian upper class. Seemingly having every opportunity for success, Manuela is quietly and deeply unhappy, struggling to find independence among her patriarchal upbringing. Her one glimmer of hope in achieving this lies in her best friend, who is leaving for Brazil, with Manuela secretly hoping to follow suit. When Manuela becomes pregnant, her life spirals even further out of control, as she begins to realize her hopes, dreams, and ambitions are completely destroyed. Sweet and Vicious is a seething film about the restrictive nature of Columbia's traditional and conservative culture, a patriarchal society that indirectly restricts the independence of woman and those that are different. Through Manuela's story, the film captures a country of strict moral code, where having an abortion is against the law and woman routinely must put their own personal goals and ambitions aside due to the patriarchal nature of this traditional culture. The film captures the darker aspects of faith, where the notion that everything will sort itself out is used in a restrictive way, with Manuela's family attempting to convince her that God's plan is to have a child. Her dreams and ambitions are essentially thrown at the wayside due to this logic, and while I'd never say Sweet and Vicious is anti-religion, it does subtlety capture the empowerment it gives individuals to validate censorship. For a first time filmmaker, Laserna's direction and storytelling is impressive, using symbolism and surrealism to effectively transport the viewer into the fractured psyche of Manuela, a woman who simply wants to regain control of her own life. I particularly liked the film's symbolic use of animals, commenting on the domestication of a woman being similar to that of an animal, with Manuela wanting to remain a wild creature who can make her own decisions. Laserna uses haunting sequences throughout the film to capture Manuela's embattled mind, visually and viscerally showing her run through various scenarios of what to do in her head. Featuring a devastating conclusion that captures the dangers of conforming to societies expectations, Juan Paulo Laserna's Sweet and Vicious is a powerful cautionary tale about the importance of independence and the restrictive nature traditional culture can create.
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June 2023
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