Veronica: entertaining!

29th May, 2018

OK, OK, sue me: I’m not wearing a shirt.

But play fair: it’s late at night, I’ve just seen Verónica — the 2017 Netflix film, Verónica — and I’m feeling my age … 

Oh … 

And the shirt I was wearing, this afternoon, when I went into Brentwood High Street?

Got drenched.

Literally, drenched.

Frankly?   I think I underestimated how long the predicted rain would last.

I thought it would last for about ten minutes.

Given my home town’s stayed as dry as a bone, whilst the rest of south east England had entertaining thunderstorms.

Today … ?

Today, a storm hit … whilst I was in the middle of it!

You have to love carrying home a baguette, whilst getting drenched on, don’t you … ?

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?


I got home … and managed to get myself dried out … 

Did stuff around the flat … 

Oh, ate the baguette, with ham …

After drying the thing out.

And figured I should maybe be treating my self to a film.

I’ve not actually seen one for a while.   And, while I’d love to check out Black Panther?   The iTunes Store isn’t retailing it, just yet.

On the other hand … ?

I have an old friend, Faye: who’s quite good at recommending interesting foreign language horror films.

Or, at least?   The two she’s suggested to me — Martyrs and Switchblade Romance — have been rather good.

So when she suggested the Spanish language, Paco Plaza* directed, Veronica?

The least I felt I could do was have a look.

~≈§≈~

Seemingly based on a true story, set in Madrid in 1991, Verónica sees the title character, Veronica (Sandra Escacena) join friends, Rosa and Diana (Ángela Fabián and Carla Campra, respectively) skip a lesson about solar eclipses … 

To hide in the cellar, and use … a ouija† board … !

The session … ?   Leaves both Rosa and Diana very nervous: as Veronica has some form of fit.

That’s only the beginning.   Once Veronica gets home is when the real trouble starts … 

Smells, stains … 

And something half glimpsed out of the corner of an eye.

~≈§≈~



Now … 

Was this a film I liked.

“Did you enjoy it,” I hear you ask?

Has Faye pulled another blinder out to the hat?

I’m tempted to say no.

Tempted.  But not going to.

You’ll possibly notice that I’ve given both Martyrs and Switchblade Romance four stars: generally the highest rating I’ll give a film.

And one that I believe both films qualify for.

I’m not, in the case of Verónica.

I’m going to give it a three.

Frankly?

Whilst I’m not convinced Veronica is on a par with Martyrs, it is still, in and of itself, a very good film.

Nicely acted, well written and directed, and … ?

AND containing enough jumps scares to keep me watching.

You could also argue Veronica has something of a slow opening.   You’d be right, too.

But it also picks up the pace, looping back to its opening scenes with clarity, briskness … and a neatness I appreciated.

It also threw in a twist I only half expected.

Frankly?

Veronica may not be as good as Martyrs or Switchblade Romance, but in recommending Veronica, Faye’s pointed me at another good movie.

One I can only suggest you see, too.

Veronica
★★★☆

*        Plaza also directed Rec, something I caught a few years ago.

†        Many years ago, I worked in a toy and game shop: and can remember my boss, Arnold Jackson, telling me about the things.   They started — for all their supposed paranormal abilities — as toys: whose name was wrongly translated!   The name — ouija — contains the words ‘oui’ and ‘ja’.   The French and German words for ‘Yes.’