The most noteworthy aspect of “Vitalina Varela” from Portugal is its boredom. Directed by Pedro Costa, it is a painfully slow observance of what happens when a woman from Cape Verde returns to attend her husband’s funeral after a long estrangement from him. The actress playing the title role is, as in the title, Vitalina Varela. Shown at the 2019 New York Film Festival, the film is now getting a commercial release.
Varela arrives too late, learning that her husband has already been buried. She is grief-stricken, and the bulk of the film involves her sitting abut, looking pained and trying to come to terms with her emotions and memories.
Granted that Costa is capable of providing cinematic atmosphere, that is not enough to compensate for a lengthy, brooding film with little action. Varela has a strong, austere-looking face, but that also is not enough to keep one riveted.
Costa’s films are an acquired taste, and while some may appreciate what he does here, for this filmgoer sitting through “Vitalina Varela” was a chore. A Grasshopper Film release. Reviewed February 21, 2020.