FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS/ EL MAL AJENO

Spain, 2010, 107 minutes, Colour.
Eduardo Noriega, Belen Rueda, Angie Cepeda, Clara Lago, Marcel Borras, Carlos Leal.
Directed by Oskar Santos.

This is a medical melodrama, a portrait of a doctor – but the film also has mystical overtones.

Spanish star, Eduardo Noriega, is a doctor working in a hospital, separating from his wife who also works there, tensions with his daughter. However, he is dedicated to his work, rather unemotional on the surface, but intense.

At the opening of the film, the audience is introduced to a range of people suffering from severe diseases, trying to cope, the doctor listening. One of the patients is pregnant and appeal to the doctor for help. The story is revealed, rather complicated, a man leaving his wife because he wanted children, the ill woman becoming pregnant, his confronting the doctor and shooting him in the parking area before shooting himself.

But the point of the film is that the doctor is not wounded. In fact, when he treats people, they become well again. He does not understand, is approached by the former wife of the shooter, trying to learn what is happening to him.

So, the film combines familiar material from hospital wards with personal and relationship crises – and the tantalising possibility that healing is possible beyond medical attention.

1. The title? Healing? Medical, psychological? Healing power and compassion?

2. The settings, the city, homes, hospitals, wards, surgeries? Roads, highways? The musical score?

3. The introduction, the collapse of the group, the individuals, from one to the other, the details of their illness, audience alert?

4. The doctor, his personality, dedicated, his life, tense relationship with his wife, with his daughter? Separation? His being isolated? His assistant and the clash? His wife in the hospital, her work, the daughter and her behaviour?

5. The range of staff, respect, the young doctor, the clash with the older man? His attitude? With his daughter?

6. The situation with the woman, ill, pregnant, in hospital? The man, leaving his wife, wanting children? The situation and her recovery?

7. The man and his psychological state, anguish, confronting the doctor, shooting him, shooting himself? The doctor, recovering, no wounds?

8. The mysteries of the doctor, the increasing exercise of his healing power, the range of people healed, the responses?

9. The wife of the dead man, the background of her marriage, separation, the mistress, her pregnancy? The doctor and his visits, sharing? The visit to the pregnant woman, the consequences?

10. The effect on the doctor, physical, psychological? With his family? Able to heal others – but himself?

11. Reconciliations, forgiveness, healing possibilities?