Gracia Querejeta (director)
(studio)
15 (certificate)
86 (length)
23 September 2020 (released)
01 October 2020
Reaching fifty is not supposed to be traumatic. In fact reaching any of the traditional society-defined age milestones shouldn’t be traumatic. But fifty has in relatively recent times become something of an albatross: a nowhere age well beyond middle-age but not quite there for shall we say for the sake of argument old or pensionable age.
It’s more a psychological issue for some but for others it has real-world concerns in particular work where losing your job at fifty plus could spell real problems with employment becoming more difficult. For women that issue is compounded by outdated expectations, customs and blunt sexism.
Age is just one of the issues in The Invisibles as three women in their fifties meet every Thursday for a brisk walk in the park and a chance to talk and let loose. Elsa (Emma Suárez) is a successful businesswoman just reached 50 and seemingly happy with her life confident and attractive. Currently fretting over a text she received from her boss late at night. Julia (Adriana Ozores) is a teacher who after so many years in the job is jaded and in a loveless marriage. Amelia (Nathalie Poza) is in a relationship and having a dreadful time with her new partner’s daughter whom she is convinced hates her.
These are the characters base stories which develop through the film and interspersed with wry observations about the workplace ‘glass ceiling’, machismo, the world and society and not backward about hitting out at each other. They are very different people their characters become much more rounded when they are paired off at points during the film, and talk about each other.
It’s a wonderfully bright, witty and illuminating script that for the most part does not feel didactic and brought to life by three magnificent performances from the lead actors in very challenging roles with a lot of words and on the move. Technically its a wonder as writer (with Santos Mercero)/director Gracia Querejeta with a fluid camera and little flourish get and keep the attention. There are breakaways when Amelia berates her ex when she sees him in the park with twins, and Elsa talks to smart-suited businessman whom she notices going to sit on a bench and realises that age is a trans-gender issue.
It is a feminist movie but not that straightforward for Querejeta has as much to say about Julia, Elsa and Amelia as they have about others and their situation. For there is Mara – a friend of theirs – who eschews contact and ignores Amelia’s messages. During a chance encounter she finds out that Mara is a lesbian (for the time-being) and after her trauma she’s just going forward and leaving the past behind with no interest in reacquaintance. It’s direct and polite nothing personal. The impression could be taken that she feels the three friends are on something of treadmill.
The Invisibles was presented at the 16th London Spanish Film Festival.
