TU HIJO/ YOUR SON
Spain, 2018, 103 minutes, Colour.
Jose Coronado, Ana Wagener, Asia Ortega, Pol Monen, Ester Exposito, Sergio Castellanos, Luis Bermejo.
Directed by Miguel Angel Vivas.
The central character of this strong Spanish drama is an accomplished surgeon. He is of the old school, strict, somewhat alienated from his wife, severe on his young daughter, but idolising his son. They are seen jogging together, talking together, the symbol of promise.
News comes of his son being beaten, very severely, hospitalised. And the beating was captured on a phone. The police are not particularly cooperative, working within the limits of the law and of witness testimony. Which means then that the surgeon, becomes more arrogant and self-righteous and takes the law into his own hands, getting clues from his son’s friends who target a young garage attendant and the surgeon attacks, then is arrested and allowed out on bail. But he organises a hitman, father of one of his young patients in surgery, to attack the son of the nightclub owner.
The manager of the nightclub at the centre of the attack also comes to plead with the surgeon.
So, there are three fathers and three sons.
The drama becomes more intense. The surgeon is even more alienated from his wife. His daughter brings his son’s former girlfriend to see him and reveals a different sordid story. There are flashbacks, and disillusionment for the surgeon.
- The title? The focus on Jaime? The father with the sick boy in hospital? The nightclub owner and his son?
- The setting, the city, homes, hospital and surgery, nightclubs, poorer areas? The city, the streets, the open spaces, the water? The musical score?
- The focus on Jaime, at home, his hours, surgery, the operation on the boy, the anxious parents, the strong-minded father? His own home, the strained relationship with his wife? His daughter, resenting his interference? His love for Marcos, running together, the gift of the sneakers? His hopes for Marcos? And the relationship with Andrea?
- The news of the beating, the later visuals, the brutality, kicking Marcos, the brutality on his face? In hospital, support systems? His father’s reaction? Dismay, appalled, not showing anything emotionally? The contrast with his wife and daughter?
- The police, not having much information? Being bound by regulations?
- Jaime deciding to investigate himself? The surveillance footage? Identifying Marcos and friends? The discussions with Pedro? The information about the assault being filmed? Identifying the young man at the service station, dyed hair? Jaime pursuing him, knocking him down, taking his phone? The young man phoning the police? The police charging Jamie, his wife arriving, bail?
- The issue with Andrea, breaking with Marcos, Jamie confronting her? His daughter and their friendship? Eventually bringing Andrei out to meet her father, the phone and the video, the revelations?
- The owner of the nightclub, approaching Jamie, asking him to back off? His own son? The revelation of the sun, and the beating of Marcos?
- Going to see Juan? The domestic background, brutality to and his wife and son? The sun in hospital and Jamie talking with him? The discussions, hiring him to beat Raoul? The money, the gun? The nightclub owner, confronting Jamie, returning the gun and the money, hammering his hand?
- Jamie going to the club, following Raoul, into the toilets, accosting him, killing him? The consequences?
- Obsession, revenge, vigilante mentality, the consequences?