And that’s how Memo likes it.
As a child who tried to share his voice with the world, he found trauma. The hurt was so profound that even now, years later, he has trouble trusting people.
His secluded life seems peaceful. But every so often we glimpse conflict: Memo still yearns to perform. This conflict intensifies when somebody recognizes his promise—and listens to his pain.
The setting is beautiful, as is the movie’s study of how people manage uncomfortable emotions. Every scene is carefully sculpted to explore this theme.
The lead dazzles in portraying Memo’s mostly silent struggle. At a moment’s notice, his face and eyes become windows to deep pain; he transforms a lumbering recluse into a performer radiating energy.