It’s not an easy thing to flap the unflappable. But The Eyes of My Mother is so intensely unsettling, it does just that.
Writer/director Nicolas Pesce’s feature film debut follows the life of a young Portuguese girl and the great tragedy that befalls her at a very young age. The girl has a special skill set taught to her by her mother, who was once a surgeon in Portugal.
Set in a nameless, Midwestern town in a secluded farmhouse, the isolation felt by the girl — Francisca (Kika Magalhães) — is filled with gut-wrenching desperation.
The film’s black-and-white backdrop not only adds to the sense of isolation but enhances the sinister scenes with gory vibrancy.
The film expertly weaves the wonders and horrors of a damaged child without excess. Every image, bit of dialogue and act is very necessary in the 77-minute film. It is graphic, but not unnecessarily so. Be forewarned, however, this is not a film to be taken lightly and not for weak stomachs.
SEE IT
In theaters, On Demand, iTunes and Amazon Video, Dec. 2
