Lee Eisenberg
Since we in the United States don't often get to see Cuban movies*, it's refreshing to see "Nada". It portrays a woman named Carla Perez working in a Havana post office opening people's letters and rewriting them so as to make them more comprehensible and even poetic...much to the chagrin of her supervisors (who, if combined, would act like and resemble the Wicked Witch of the West). But this might set in motion a new path for Carla's relationships with people.Aside from the main plot, the movie gives us a look at the lives of ordinary Cubans, far from the famous images of Fidel Castro and his cabinet. The black-and-white cinematography with a few objects colored gives one - well, gives me, at least - the sense of people feeling somewhat depressed in a world without guaranteed electricity, but trying as hard as possible to pull through.One thing that I noticed in the movie is that all the characters had names beginning with C (Carla, Cunda, Concha, etc). I wonder what was up with that. It may have had something to do with Cuba beginning with C (along with Cuba's trading partner China).Overall, worth seeing.*It seems like this might also be the case in Cuba; I think that most of the movies which they get to see in Cuba come from - where else? - the United States.
lnp3
Nada+ "Nada+" (Nothing More) is the latest in a series of Cuban films such as "Strawberries and Chocolate" and "The Waiting List" that satirize bureaucracy. Such films are the most effective rebuttal to claims in both the conservative and liberal press that Cuba is a totalitarian dungeon. Indeed, "Nada+" is irrefutable evidence that the main challenge to bureaucratic stupidity and oppression comes from the government itself, since without government funding such films would never see the light of day.What better symbol of bureaucracy is there than the post office, which serves as the setting for "Nada+." Carla Perez (Thäis Valdés) is a young, beautiful and supremely bored clerk who spends each day rubberstamping incoming mail while listening to music on a portable radio at her desk.To relieve the tedium, she has begun to steal letters in order to get into the lives of the writers, who function as characters in soap operas for her. Taking things one step further, she begins to write back letters to the sender in the name of the original recipient. But her letters are more compassionate, more loving and more sensitive than anything that they would be capable of, with an impact that is often highly dramatic.One of the unsuspecting recipients is a Cuban equivalent of Doctor Phil, who has an afternoon talk show proffering advice to the unhappy, but he himself is far more tormented than any of his callers. He throws a tantrum one day at Carla's office when no letters are found in his mailbox, accusing the workers of stealing his mail. In this instance, however, Carla had nothing to do with it. Taking pity on him, she decides to write him a fan letter assuming the identity of one of his viewers. So deeply moved is he by her words that he confesses to his audience that he has been living a lie, tears off his toupee and attempts to strangle himself with a microphone cord!
ulises321
Nada Más is as complex as the Cuban people itself. The little pieces of daily life activities get complicated by bore and danger. This movie have the kind of juice that make your head spin. The characters are well elaborated and portrayed in the caricaturing way of the silent film era. The viewer feel bouncing between hate, sympathy and despise for everyone involved in the plot and depending of the moment. This movie can be anything but boring. I recommend it.
rockmen43
Although this has been called an over-the-top story some of the writing is done very passionately. I particularly enjoyed the letter being read while a women was taking a bath. I wish some of this passion could be present in more North American movies. Thais Valdes is an excellent actress and hopefully she can get more roles in movies like this in the near future. The satire with the bureaucracy in the mail office is dead on.