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Film: The Orphanage (El orfanato)
Year: 2007
Director: J.A. Bayona
Writer: Sergio G. Sánchez
Starring: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo and Roger Príncep
Review:
This was a film that I remember coming out while I was in college, but I didn’t get around to seeing it in theaters. My guess was that it came out during a time where I wasn’t able to catch it with life being busy. I did luck out that my first watch was at the Gateway Film Center on 35mm. I’ve now given it a rewatch, this time at the Wexner Center for the Arts.
Synopsis: a woman brings her family back to her childhood home, which used to be an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son communicates with an invisible new friend.
We start this with a bunch of children playing a game that is very similar to ‘Red Light’. The children approach the girl who is it until she is tagged. It turns out that one of them, Laura (Mireia Reanu), has been adopted and going to be leaving the orphanage.
It then shifts to present day where Laura is Belén Rueda. Like the synopsis states, she’s moving into her former home with her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and their son Simón (Roger Príncep). Their plan is to reopen this place as a school for children that have disabilities, similar to what it was before. Through interactions we learn that Simón is adopted and HIV positive. He also has a vivid imagination in that he has imaginary friends. Laura is concerned where Carlos believes he’ll grow out of it, especially when the other children move in.
Things get a bit weird when Simón and Laura go to the beach together. There is a nearby cave and inside, Simón meets a new imaginary friend Tomás (Óscar Casas). This ends up turning into six new friends. Laura and Carlos just believe it is still him being lonely, but odd things happen around their new house.
It gets even scarier when Benigna (Montserrat Carulla) shows up. She claims to be a social worker with a file on Simón. Laura also starts to see a boy in a mask that she thinks is Tomás. When Simón goes missing at a party they’re throwing to convince parents to bring their children there, the nightmare truly begins.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start then is that this is one that annoys me that I took so long to see originally. I had seen other works by director J.A. Bayona’s films and it makes sense why he was given bigger projects off the back of this. Something I heard on a podcast about this film and where it is set in Spain, we think of beaches, sun and bright colors. Bayona does a great job at making things look ominous, overcast and just cold. That fits the tone as well as the atmosphere.
Then from there, I want to shift to talking about how the Spanish have a rich religious history. I personally was raised Christian through my grandmother, a friend and my parents. My parents didn’t necessarily push it the older I got. Plus, the more science I learned the more that made sense to me. I’ve become an atheist. I only bring this up because this film has you wondering if there are ghosts within the halls of this home. This is a neo-gothic film where the haunting isn’t a bad thing. There are scenes with Tomás that are creepy. The ghosts are helpful and want their truth revealed. Carlos is a doctor, so he doesn’t believe. Laura does as she needs something to cling to and help get answers.
There is a way where you could read that this isn’t supernatural. That’s not something that I believe. I don’t want to spoil the reveal, but a major aspect revolves around a game. We see Simón and Laura play it. She then has to if she wants to figure out what happened to Simón. You could say that he set it up before going missing. There’s no actual proof of ghosts, if you believe Carlos and a police psychologist, Pilar (Mabel Rivera) that Aurora (Geraldine Chaplin) and her team are con artists. She’s a medium and believes she makes a connection with the ghost of the children there. There are things that can be explained away, but I love the ambiguity to allow the viewer to see and believe what they want. To confirm, I do believe there are ghosts directing the events.
The last thing to cover is that the writing is excellent. There are little things that play into the film later and I appreciate this, especially when its handle like it is here. There are certain noises and things that happen. Going farther than that, I love how ingrained in this Laura and others are in the past of this place. There’s also a moment where Simón is reading Peter Pan and I love how this also ties back in. It explains so much with the ending. This is interesting as Guillermo del Toro helped produce, as it does carry that dark fairy tale feel that he utilizes so well.
Let’s then move over to discuss the acting. Rueda excels, portraying a loving but exhausted mother overwhelmed by her child's condition and new school. Her guilt after lashing out resonates deeply with me as a parent. Cayo, initially seeming like a jerk, is a supportive rock for Laura, concerned for her emotional healing. Príncep effectively portrays their lonely child, feeling left out amidst parental preparations. Carulla delivers a creepy performance in her minor, yet crucial, role. Casas works as Tomás. Chaplin, her team, and Rivera adeptly represent the opposing sides of the orphanage incident. The remaining cast effectively rounds out the film.
All that is left then is filmmaking aspects. First, I need to commend the cinematography and framing. They’re able to capture a beautiful country like Spain and then make it look bleak and dreary. This location is old. There is history here and not all is as happy as Laura remembers. The team is able to capture that gothic vibe and bring it into a modern setting. There isn’t much in the way of effects, but it doesn’t necessarily need them either. The mask that Tomás is creepy and it is also sad, because the reason he wears it. Other than that, the sound design is great. There is an evening where Laura hears sounds like we’d get in a haunted house film. The explanation there is heartbreaking. It is effective as well. Other than that, the music helps to build the atmosphere that we needed.
In conclusion, this is a haunting and emotionally resonant film that masterfully blends supernatural elements with a deeply human story of loss and a mother's unwavering love. Bayona's direction, Sergio G. Sánchez's intricate writing, and the compelling performances, particularly from Rueda, create an unforgettable experience. The film's ability to maintain ambiguity while delivering a powerful narrative, coupled with its excellent technical aspects, makes it a standout. I highly recommend this film for its chilling atmosphere, its poignant themes and its enduring impact.
My Rating: 10 out of 10