Biutiful (2010)

This is the story of Uxbal, a man living in this world, but able to see his death, which guides his every move.

Director:

Alejandro González Iñárritu

Writers:

Alejandro González Iñárritu (screenplay), Nicolás Giacobone (screenplay),

Stars:

Javier Bardem, Maricel Álvarez, Hanaa Bouchaib

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Javier Bardem	...	Uxbal
Maricel Álvarez	...	Marambra
Hanaa Bouchaib	...	Ana
Guillermo Estrella	...	Mateo
Eduard Fernández	...	Tito
Cheikh Ndiaye	...	Ekweme
Diaryatou Daff	...	Ige
Taisheng Chen	...	Hai (as Taishen Cheng)
Jin Luo	...	Liwei
George Chibuikwem Chukwuma	...	Samuel
Lang Sofia Lin	...	Li
Yodian Yang	...	Chino Obeso
Tuo Lin	...	Barman Bar Hai
Xueheng Chen	...	Chino Bodega
Xiaoyan Zhang	...	Jung

Storyline

Uxbal, single father of two children, finds his life in chaos as he is forced to deal with his life in order to escape the heat of crime in underground Barcelona, to break with the love for the divorced, manic depressive, abusive mother of his children and to regain spiritual insight in his life as he is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

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Plot Keywords:

illegal immigrant | children | immigrant | single father | chinese | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing images, language, some sexual content, nudity and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [de]

Country:

Mexico Spain

Language:

Spanish Chinese Wolof

Release Date:

22 October 2010 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

Biutipuli

Filming Locations:

Navarra, Spain

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£156,029 (UK) (28 January 2011)

Gross:

$5,100,937 (USA) (3 June 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Menageatroz, Mod Producciones, Focus Features

Technical Specs

Runtime:

148 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The audible heartbeats in the scene where Uxbal hugs his daughter were achieved on set with microphones stuck to the actors' skin while they hugged.

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Goofs

In the scene where there are three dead boys lying, the hands of the middle boy changes in between shots.

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Quotes

Bea: You can give up, let yourself go... or grit your teeth and hang on like stupid people do.

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Connections

Featured in The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Ritmo de la noche"
Performed by Lorca
Written by Harry Castioni, Alex Joerg Christensen, B. Lagonda, Wycombe, Peter Allen, Adrian Anderson
Courtesy of BLOOPER Production
Publishing HANSEATIC MUSIKVERLAG GMBH & CO KG/WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC GERMANY/Rondor Musikverlag GMBH Universal Music Publishing,
S.A. De C.V.

User Reviews

great story, great location

"Biutiful" is devastating. Not only isn't it a comfortable and audience-pleasing film but in this case the story's really shocking, well acted and directed and, overall, terribly sad. The film is basically about good and evil, death and life and similar topics. These themes are very effectively expressed in its atmospheric and innovative photography. Iñarritu's camera gets to detect images of fierce and brilliance in the squalor. Javier's face is painted with light and shadows, as well as with a sinister appearance suggesting strong contrition and redemption. Uxbal's efforts to make some generous deeds before his death are rendered in a terrific performance, which manages to elevate the bleak subject to a sublime level. "Biutiful" is a work of extraordinary vitality and humanity, with figures of untarnished quality (Uxbal's children and the Senegalese immigrant who'll raise them after his death). On a personal level Uxbal comes to terms with the close death but eventually shows a vision of reconciliation with the life he must leave behind. Watching the film is a really a must.