I enjoyed this film even though I felt like it was drawn out in places. Alicia is a naieve history teacher married to a wealthy lawyer. Childless for a number of years Alicia and Roberto adopted a little girl named Gaby. Roberto handled the adoption and Alicia who seemed subserviant never asked any questions regarding her birth/adoption.
Alicia lived in blissful ignorance in regards to the effects of the war until her best friend Ana showed up unexpectedly one day. Ana opened up to Alicia about the kidnapping, subsequent torture she endured and her exile. Ana spoke about the many pregnant woman who were held captive with her whose babies were taken and placed with government officials for adoption.This and the beliefs of her students caused Alicia to have doubts about where Gaby ,who is five now, came from since Roberto handled the adoption.
Alicia questions Roberto about Gaby's birth mother. Each time she brings it up Roberto gets angry/agressive so she attempts to find the information herself. She goes to the hospital and is not very successful in getting information. She meets Sara who is a member of the grandmothers of the plaza de mayo. They are a large group of women who are trying to find out what happened to their children after they were kidnapped by the military. Sara believes that Alicia needs help finding a child. Sara sees Gaby and realizes that there is a strong resemblence to her daughter. Alicia is distraught. During the time Alicia spends searching for answers regarding Gabys birth she seems to gain confidence in herself ,she leaves her hair down and seems to stand up to Roberto more.
When Sara and Roberto meet he becomes angry when he realizes that they feel she may be Gabys grandmother and he throws her out. Roberto asks where Gaby is , Alicia responds Horrible isn't it, not knowing where your daughter is. Roberto, enraged, beats Alicia .The beating is stopped when Gabby calls. Alicia leaves the house. Hopefully with no intention of returning.
I feel like Roberto was becoming increasingly panicked that things were getting out of control .He seemed to place great value on the fact that he wasn't a "loser". Thats what he kept saying to his father when they were arguing.I think he saw that life as he knew it was going to change. He completely lost control when Alicia stood up to him and dared question him about his activities. I hope Alicia and Gaby remained together and made a new life which included Sara.
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Lisa Lynam:\Lisa I agree with you inthe fact that Alicia was very niave in the way she did not know where Gaby can from but once she felt like she was a missing baby she longed for the information to find her parents. The fact that Roberto got angry when Alicia wanted to know information regarding Gaby prolonged her idea to find them. the fact that her family had been killed in accident and her grandmother did not tell her later inlife proves how she felt about children. Roberto's idea taht he was not a loser and his rage that increased as Alicia got closer to the fact she was a missing baby. The grandmothers of the de Plaza was a n interesting idea to try and find there families. On the idea that one of the grandmothers could be Gabys grandmother helped Alicia in the long run. The suspense at the end of the movie with Gaby in rocker put into Alicias mind about her family. Great post.
ReplyDeleteCammy Reagan
ReplyDeleteI too agree that Roberto put great value in the fact that he was not a "loser." His values were the fact that he had wealth, job and now family that did not have to live with parents. I got the feeling that he was ashamed of where he came from and did not like going to visit his parents. Alicia was an educated woman who lived in a world with blinders on. I think she was not interested in what was going on around her since it did not affect her until she got the visit from Ana and learned of her life in exile. When Ana started talking about the pregnant women having their babies taken away and being sold (adopted), she began to wonder about Gaby. When she questioned Roberto he tried to blow her off, so she searched on her own and met Sara as a result of her search. I think that Roberto was as desperate as he could be when he told Alicia they could lose everything. He felt more desperated when Sara was at their house. His response to Gaby not being home coupled with Sara being there resulted in the beating of Alicia. I do think that Gaby will survive the wrong doings that were bestowed upon her, as she is a small child and children are resilient.
Great blog Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Alicia was naive(deficient in worldly wisdom or informed judgment/Websters online). I think that Alicia was deficient in her knowledge of war times and the goings on until she was thrust into it by her friend Ana. Until this time I believe she was just going through her "perfect life" and not questioning her good fortune.
Alicia was, I believe happily married to a successful lawyer, had a good teaching job, and a wonderful little girl that her loving husband had managed to adopt for them. She lived in her world that for all intents and purposes worked well for her.
Alicia's eyes were opened for the first time after her reunion with Ana. After that encounter she investigated more once she listened, truly listened to what her students were saying in regards to the missing during the military's invasion into Argentina.
The two encounters/ with Ana and her students pushed her vigilantly on the quest for the truth, no matter the cost. Alicia was a good, decent, and empathetic person who would not stop no matter the cost to her or her family until she discovered the truth.
Lisa you are so right, Alicia did become much more confident once she began looking into the situation regarding how Roberto got Gaby. Prior to, Roberto and Alicia appeared to have the perfect relationship until Roberto began realizing that he was losing control. How terrible what Ana had to endure,but her returning and letting Alicia know hopefully drove Alicia to search out the answers regarding Gaby and to find out the truth regarding the man that she was living with. Realizing the bad that was going on with the government and the involvement of her husband gave her the strength to leave him for good.
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