Critics reviews

If Robe of Gems is at times almost frustratingly opaque, then, once one becomes acclimated to Gallardo’s rhythms, it all begins to create a palpable sense of unease; in these capable hands, the audience becomes as unmoored as the characters.

It is a disturbing and unsettling piece of work, a psycho-pathological moodboard of a film, in which guilt, horror and shame poison the atmosphere.

There’s no urgency or insistence to the proceedings, with its characters too morose to really register, which makes it difficult to become invested in their motivations. Given the circumstances, it’s not as though anyone should be upbeat, but the listless nature of the end result makes for a viewing experience that doesn’t quite satisfy.

Exquisitely photographed by Adrián Durazo, also making his solo feature debut (he was co-credited on Reygadas’ Our Time), the movie attempts to strike a balance between elliptical art house drama and gritty narcocorrido, with a fragmented narrative set against a backdrop of kidnappings and murders that are not exactly easy to trace.

Robe Of Gems shows Lopez’ Gallardo’s talent as a director on a technical level. However, the writing and editing is so wildly inconsistent I walked away with more questions than answers.

Surprising, disquieting and visually memorable scenes pile up, as you’d expect from a director who has worked as the editor for Cannes-award winning directors Carlos Reygadas (Post Tenebras Lux) and Amat Escalante (Heli).