Movie review - Huesera: The Bone Woman

Huesera: The Bone Woman *** (out of 5) (NR) This subtitled Mexican psychological thriller with dangling supernatural questions isn’t an easy film to watch, but many will find the story and lead performance well worth the discomfort. Valeria (Natalia Solian) is a young wife eager to bear a child with her loving husband. She becomes pregnant early in the film, but nothing seems quite right about what should be making Valeria, her family and friends ecstatic.

Guilt over an unfortunate childhood left Valeria painfully insecure about her fitness for motherhood. That doubt is magnified by her mother and sister-in-law, who gleefully pound her with reminders of it at every opportunity. She starts having disturbing, surreal visions that could be signs of psychosis or something occult. Either way, her fears of failure escalate greatly throughout the pregnancy. The only support and comfort she can find come from a kindly aunt with a circle (or perhaps coven) of mystical friends, and a former girlfriend, Octavia (Mayra Battala). Hubby is loving, patient and willing to be supportive, but his effectiveness borders on the vestigial.

Most first-time parents have at least some nagging concerns about whether they’ll be up to snuff. Valeria’s response to the pregnancy she craved ramps them up to panic levels. As we see what she sees, or at least thinks she sees, we wonder about her backstory, and from whence this terror comes. That includes learning whether an occult ritual (hence, the title) might provide a cure.

The tenor of the film is mostly that of looming menace from an unknown origin, real or imagined. The score consists of more unsettling sounds than music. Soft focus and dim lighting add to the eeriness of the presentation. We can’t be sure if we’re watching a Rosemary’s Baby, or a case study in schizophrenia. There are long stretches with little or no dialog, made compelling by one factor – Ms. Solian’s performance. Her expressive face carries most of the load, which is all the more impressive since it’s her first feature film, after only a handful of TV gigs.

I can’t mention more without spoilers, but there will be plenty of fodder for discussion about a number of issues by the time the final credits roll. Patience is required, since it seems longer than its 93 minutes, but many will find the effort worthwhile, including what is likely an introduction to Ms. Solian and the bright future she should enjoy.

(Huesera: The Bone Woman, in Spanish with subtitles, available from Video On Demand as of 2/16/23 from XYZ Films)