In a time when the United States have never been so divided and the American people have never felt so powerless, “Beatriz at Dinner” swoops in with a reminder that one single human being can be enough to bring people together or tear them apart. It reminds us of the weight of our actions.
It’s amazing to think that a script written in under a month, and long before the election results, can capture a sentiment that can sometimes take a lifetime to fully understand, one that we have all begun to realize. And that is the greatest success of “Beatriz at Dinner.”
Through a combination of stunning cinematography, magic realism and a breathtaking performance by Salma Hayek Pinault, the film illustrates the impact we, as humans, can have on this world and each other – good or bad. “Beatriz at Dinner,” is a reminder that sometimes ripples have a greater effect than waves. Sometimes one person can do the most damage.
And so understandably the film begins with a shot of ripples, and we are carried across a body of water as DP, Wyatt Garfield’s meticulous eye guides us through a distinct memory of Beatriz’s: kayaking through mangroves in Mexico. Throughout the film, Beatriz – quite literally – meditates on this moment and we grow to understand how affected her character is by nature and her unwavering ability to understand others’ pain – human or animal – and her need to do everything in her power to heal others.
From the commitment to her expression of a range of emotions to the clarity of her character, Hayek Pinault does justice to Beatriz – a homeopathic healer originally from Mexico, but currently living in California after her family split up and fled Mexico when she was just a child – and makes it next to impossible to ignore her. And never in Mike White’s conscientious telling of this story do we want to ignore Beatriz.
Which makes John Lithgow’s character, Doug, that much more problematic. Doug is the antithesis of Beatriz; pompous, arrogant and by way of Lithgow’s magnificent acting, almost callous in his disregard for other’s pain, suffering or humanity. Ignore is all Doug does to Beatriz.
Mike White wrote brutally honest and painfully familiar scenes, such as racist and bigot Doug mistaking Beatriz for the help in their first encounter, that lift the narrative higher, transcending it beyond pure entertainment and into social commentary.
As Doug spews about breaking ground and building hotels at the dinner table, brushing off Alex’s warnings about governments and legalities, Beatriz speaks up about Doug’s work in Mexico and the suffering such construction has caused her people, in its false promises and dangers.
There’s a cleverness in White’s ability to make Beatriz represent all minorities. She is all those that are uneasy in this political climate and Doug’s uncanny similarities to America’s current president – his desire to build barriers and his racist tendencies – push the audience just far enough out of their seats to glimpse what’s really going on.
And it’s in the poignant final scenes that we truly get it. After Doug pushes Beatriz to lose composure – throwing a phone at him, swearing, calling him out – she considers taking his life. She considers healing the world by hurting him.
We almost rejoice at this somewhat happy ending, but just as quickly as Doug goes from bleeding out on the ground to alive and standing, we understand the true power of a person’s action. We see the maturity and care the film’s team portray in deciding to leave us with this equally grave sentiment.
“Beatriz at Dinner” takes two opposing characters and makes them represent a deeper divide in America. A dinner symbolizes a political climate and two people epitomize two opposing political parties, forcing the audience to take a long and hard look in the mirror and come to terms with the facts White et al. are laying down; apathy and violence are the root causes – not the solutions – to conflict. In times like these, the easiest thing you could do is give into your anger, the hardest thing you can do is walk away from it.
Written by Asli Shebe.
To see Hayek Pinault walk the red carpet, check out our interview with the actress here.
Asli Shebe is a senior writing major from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She began working for District in 2014 as a staff writer, then copy editor, A&E editor, Chief Assignment editor and finally, Editor-in-Chief in 2017. Asli currently holds the record for obtaining the most job titles during her time at District. When she’s not writing for District you can find her biking around the Historic District of Savannah at odd hours of the day.
