Avowed atheist José (Fernando Luján) suddenly finds himself surrounded by religion after his ex-wife’s suicide in Mexican black comedy
NORA’S WILL (CINCO DIAS SIN NORA) (FIVE DAYS WITHOUT NORA) (Mariana Chenillo, 2009)
Paris Theatre
4 West 58th St. at Fifth Ave.
Opens Friday, October 15
212-688-3800
www.menemshafilms.com
www.theparistheatre.com
Mariana Chenillo’s debut feature, NORA’S WILL, is an endearingly bittersweet black comedy about family and forgiveness. As the film opens, Nora (Silvia Mariscal) is carefully organizing her home, putting cards and letters away and setting an ornate table for the first night of Passover. Then, after more than a dozen prior attempts, she successfully commits suicide. Her ex-husband, José (Fernando Luján), who lives across the street, discovers her, but with their son, Rubén (Ari Brickman), and his family in Texas, José suddenly finds himself responsible for the body. Before José can make any decisions, Rabbi Jackowitz (Max Kerlow) arrives, telling him that because of the holiday and the Sabbath, the body will have to remain in Nora’s apartment for five days before burial and that Moisés (Enrique Arreola) will continually pray over Nora until they can proceed with the funeral, which is further complicated because of how she died. None of this sits well with José, a cynical atheist who quickly orders a Christian wake and offers the rabbi a piece of ham, bacon, and sausage pizza. But when José comes upon a postcard Nora had accidentally dropped during her obsessive preparations, he thinks he might have uncovered a mystery that shakes him from his apathy. Luján is absolutely marvelous as the well-bearded José, making subtle gestures and hysterically offensive comments as if they were nothing, insulting just about everyone with a bored look in his eye, as if he’d rather be anywhere than where he is. Angelina Peláez is a hoot as Nora’s very Catholic housekeeper, Fabiana, who insists on making up Nora’s face and praying over her with rosary beads. Winner of seven Mexican Ariel Awards including Best Picture, NORA’S WILL is a splendidly told tale with tongue firmly implanted in cheek. Just like Nora does, writer-director Chenillo keeps everything in its proper place — after all, “seder” does mean “order” — never going over the top even when slapstick beckons. The film’s Mexican title, CINCO DIAS SIN NORA, translates as FIVE DAYS WITHOUT NORA, but Nora is ever-present in all the hijinks, not only through her corporeal body in the bedroom but via the will she continues to impose on everyone even after death.