TIME SHARE/ TIEMPO COMPARTIDO

Mexico, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.

Luis Gerard Mendez, Miguel Rodarte, RJ Mitte, Cassandra Ciangerotti, Montserrat Maranon, Andrew Almeida.

Directed by Sebastian Hofman.

The title indicates those resorts where holidaymakers come, renting or buying accommodation, timeshare.

On the one hand, this film can be looked on in terms of realism, while the treatment and perspective is often surreal. While we see a family, father, mother, son, arriving at the Everfields resort, hoping for a happy holiday, especially therapy for the wife who has had some mental trouble, an opportunity of joy for the son, the atmosphere is soon changed when it seems that another family, rather larger, is booked into the same room.

What seems to be a comedy of errors, with numerous apologies, soon becomes something of a critique of capitalism, techniques for persuading customers to buy, staff seminars to train them in persuasion, seminars for the visitors praising the resort – and an attack on American-style capitalism. On the one hand, the wife is happy sharing the experience with the second family, as is the young son. By contrast, the father is enraged, stands his ground, objects, becomes more and more paranoid, reacting badly to the family, to his wife and son, taking his son aside to warn him about the evil of the other family.

There is a prologue to the film focusing on another couple, grief at the death of their baby son, he supervising sports events but having a seizure and collapsing. The transition is to 5 years later when both are working at Everfields, he is a cleaner, still upset, and she having the opportunity to become a persuader in the organisation.

There is a climactic moment when everybody goes to hit the tennis ball and the father is struck in the face, his nose broken – and, disfigured, he does a paranoid rant in front of all the guests and the staff denouncing them.

Some commentators have indicated a similarity of tone, worth considering, with a films of the Greek director. Yorgis Lanthimos, especially the Lobster with its bizarre hotel setting.

1. The title, the focus, Everfields and the resorts? The clients, advertising and persuasion?
2. A Mexican film, Mexican atmosphere, characters, situations?
3. The tone, realism, surrealism, satire, critique, touches of horror?
4. The opening, the prologue with the couple, the cave, the challenge to share in grief? The follow-up with the sports, the sack race, the seizure?
5. The transition to 5 years later, Pedro and Eva, their son, the car trip, arrival, settling into their unit? Eva, past illness, hope for recuperation? Parents devoted to their son? The management of Everfields?
6. The arrival of the family, the double booking, Pedro’s hostile reaction, Eva more sympathetic, the reaction of the management, excuses, apologies? The two families sharing? The new family, the cheerful father, supportive mother, the children, and getting on well with Pedro and Eva’s son?
7. Pedro and his reaction, the detail of sharing, on the bed, waking up, the family present, getting their meal, crowded, the family offering seats? The range of personnel and apologies? Pedro becoming more paranoid? His reactions? The culmination in the tennis, everybody’s abilities, Pedro hopeless, being hit, the broken nose, hospital care? The father and his support? His denouncing the family as evil, clutching his son?
8. Eva, enjoying sharing, the son, the swimming, dancing, companionship? Pedro scowling?
9. The seminars, the American visitor and his speeches? The audiences? The staff seminars and the uniforms? The residents and thus peel for them to timeshare?
10. The story of Andres and Gloria, the past, working, Andres and his jobs, Gloria wanting promotion, the memories of the death of their child? The using this in the speeches? Andres and his job, contacting Pedro, giving the information, the revelation that Everfields had documentation about Eva and her health and situation? Gloria, wanting a opportunity?
11. The buildup to the climax, Gloria giving the speech, Pedro and his intervention, at great length, more and more paranoid, Eva and her reaction, the family and the denunciation?
12. The future for the family?
13. The focus on capitalism, American enterprise, advertising, the staff, tricking the clients, the speeches and seminars, persuading the clients?