(Cinco días sin Nora) Writer-director Mariana Chenillo’s “Nora’s Will” is a dry comedy set among Jews in Mexico City, with grieving, family dysfunction and culture clash set into motion when the middle-aged Nora of the title, after fourteen attempts across the decades, finally commits the un-kosher act of killing herself right before Passover. The details of the behavior of the members of the extended community of bereaved impress. Lightly witty and likably acted, Chenillo’s made an engaging, only intermittently sentimental multi-character debut that is less modest, more delicate than appears at first glance. With Fernando Luján as her none-too-pleased, atheist ex-husband. 93m. (Ray Pride)
Ray Pride is Newcity’s Senior Editor and Film Critic. He is a contributing editor of Filmmaker magazine.
Ray’s history of Chicago Ghost Signs is planned for publication next year. Previews of the project are on Twitter and on Instagram. More photography on Instagram.
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