Pattinson as Dali, Beltran as Garcia Lorca
Little Ashes explores the complicated friendship between three of Spain’s most influencial artists and intellectuals of the 1920s and 30s—Luis Bunuel (filmmaker), Salvador Dali (artist) and Federico Garcia Lorca (poet, playwright). These guys turned art on its head and this film turned everything I thought I knew about Dali on its head.
I had few expectations going into this movie because I had no idea (but was thrilled to learn) that Federico Garcia Lorca and Salvador Dali knew each other, let alone how much they influenced each other. Garcia Lorca is the reason I study poetry. Dali is the reason I’m obsessed with moustaches and surrealism.
The film focuses on the painful and awkward love triangle between Garcia Lorca (Javier Beltran. *swoon*), Dali (Robert Pattinson—yes, Edward Cullen *eyeroll*) and Magdalena. Beltran and Pattinson create a palpable tension every time they’re on screen together as Garcia Lorca’s desire and love for the painter clashes with Dali’s fear and struggle with sexuality. Dali’s awkward creepiness develops into a dark eccentricity and provides the comedic element needed to balance out the heartbreak but also turns Dali into kind of a douche. However, I think Pattinson played him wonderfully, but don’t expect to like Dali’s character after this film.
I think Luis Bunuel could have had more of a presence. He gets pushed away as Dali and Garcia Lorca become closer and is portrayed as jealous and violently homophobic. He splits up their already tumultuous relationship by taking Dali to Paris and insulting Garcia Lorca in one of his films, but then reestablishes his friendship Garcia Lorca when he tires of Dali’s eccentricities.
You don’t need to be an expert on the protagonists to get into the movie and if you know the basic ideas behind the Surrealist movement, you’ll be fine. However, you might want to brush up on your Spanish history to better understand the political tensions in the film.
I’d see it again. In fact, I’ll most likely buy it. It’s a beautiful film and, like poor Magdalena, I found myself falling deeply in love with Federico Garcia Lorca all over again.
Watch the trailer:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFh51hwufl8]
