Even those outside the brutal landscape of literary country are quickly schooled on how the broken creatures called writers operate. The audience gets to see how self-obsession and unmet needs drive authors into hypnotic states where they churn out word after word. While his overall vision is questionable, Holden’s trajectory for getting everyone at the residency out of predictable ruts is a worthy pursuit. This is another trope of the subgenre, in that the viewer gets to walk away with worthwhile psychological advice for the cost of some minutes spent versus thousands of dollars. While the thriller portion in the third act is limited in scope, it does cause previous innocuous details to reverberate gruesomely.
While Welcome, Violeta! has to hide the suspense elements until the big reveal, the haunting original music, by O Grivo, gets right down to sinister business. The eerie minimalist style of the score sets a tone of dread even when there is not a cloud in the sky. This foreboding is intensified by the impressive cinematography of Gustavo Hadba and Mario Franca. Handheld interior shots that help maintain intimacy are juxtaposed with majestic panoramas of the Andes.
“…a class act with intelligence and a grimly fiendish swagger.”
Grandinetti anchors the concept of a dark visionary in a way that is muscular but never overplayed. His performance is so reminiscent of Frank Langella that it’s a wonder the actor hasn’t ever played Dracula. Falabella’s outstanding work lifts the whole production as high as the mountains it is set in. She is vulnerable without being weak and extreme without slipping into crazy. Falabella is intensely believable as a writer and completely sells the bursts of inspiration and breakthroughs Ana goes through.
The film’s backbone is the interactions between the leads, and it stands tall as a result. Fraiha delivers a class act with intelligence and a grimly fiendish swagger. Welcome, Violeta! stands with Barton Fink and Gothic as an excellent cinematic journey to the black planet writers call home.
"…cinematic journey to the black planet writers call home."
