Over a hundred years since the publication of the sociological text, La mala vida en Madrid, that coined the term in Spain, what does it mean to be a ‘lowlife’? Eye-catching, almost otherworldy and unashamedly provocative, this commentary on class, sexuality and urban stratification appropriates the pathologising label of ‘Other’ to shine a light on the explosion of ‘lifeforms’ in the Spanish capital today. Featuring the clever use of 8mm to create a surreal, pseudo-documentary look that draws in and distances simultaneously, Madrid, Bad Life is a sophisticated and thought-provoking high-concept work.
The biggest highlight of the film is easily the performance of Andrew Garfield. In his days since hanging up his Spiderman suit, Garfield has routinely churned out great performances, and Mainstream is no exception. He proves that he is willing to try anything and go anywhere in a character.
The film is trying to revive DC's former glory, it really is, it just doesn't have everything it needs to get there. Luckily, Black Adam isn't as bad as many internet haters want you to think it is.
An attempt to capture nostalgia that unfortunately just doesn’t work
If your upbringing was anything like mine, where the TV acted as an additional parent- there are so many new stories and perspectives to explore.
The social issues The Half of it takes on are handled well, between the antagonization brought on to Ellie for her race and the conflict that arises from her being gay. Both aspects of her character are built up over the course of the film and don’t seem abrupt or rushed. The film shows racism towards Ellie and her and father in varying levels, from having her schoolmates specifically address her as "Chinese girl” to the fore mentioned way her Dad is treated due to language barriers. The same can be said about Ellie being a lesbian. While she never truly “comes out” in the narrative, that does not undermine her journey of self-discovery from being meaningful. These ideas aren’t thrust upon the viewer in a preachy manor, the scenarios that occur feel believable given the rural setting. The film presents watchers with problems whom those like Ellie may face, and leaves us to sit with them and reflect.
