The Absence of Eden (2024)

The Absence of Eden (2024)

Meh!

An American/British drama filmed in 2023 and released in 2024.
A feature film that takes its time setting up the plot, but comes to an abrupt halt right in the middle of the action – which is incredibly frustrating!

Now, I’m one of those people who’s never been a huge fan of Zoe Saldaña… and yet, I’ve got nothing against her. I can’t say she’s a bad actress, far from it, but I’ve never found myself thinking I should watch all her films. Generally speaking, my favourite actors and actresses also make good film choices. It’s all part of the package!

Well, I should point out that Saldaña is an American actress, director and producer, born on 19 June 1978, which is… one day before me!!! And just like me, she’s open about her ADHD. Respect!

You can safely give this film a miss. Even the poster looks dated. It’s Zoe herself who’ll draw in a few curious viewers. The film, which deals with immigration, falls flat through three intertwining stories, much to the chagrin of an audience who very quickly realise the film has no ambition. We’re back to fairly predictable stories of characters with their backs against the wall, fighting for survival. And behind that, visually, it’s very poor, just like the character writing.

So, the only thing that strikes me is that we’re talking about these ICE agents ahead of their time… before all the tragedies unfold in the US in 2025–2026. But maybe I’m being naive and this has always been the case. Yes, there’s a good chance of that. I don’t think you need to be very humane or very clever to work for them, anyway!

An undocumented migrant tries to escape her difficult life. Meanwhile, a new immigration officer falls in love with an undocumented Mexican woman.
The plot alternates between the three main characters, each with a turbulent past.

The director, Marco Perego, seems intent on denouncing violence against undocumented migrants and the exploitation of their plight. Unfortunately, he overdoes the tear-jerking aspect and caricatures the characters (the villainous smugglers, the police abusing their powers, and the vulnerable, exploited women). It’s a shame to exaggerate these traits so much. That said, the protagonists are convincing, allowing the film to unfold smoothly.

So, yes: this feature film focuses on three main characters, three heroes who turn out to be virtuous—or at least good—and who thus highlight the vices and flaws of the other characters. Two migrant women trying to survive and an honest cop trying to do his job as best he can. Opposing them are systemic police violence (obviously!) and disgusting, aggressive, permissive men – rapists, ready to do anything for money or sex (inevitably!).

No nuance in the characterisation, then, in a classic narrative where the only real question mark hangs over the cop and the final decision he’ll inevitably have to make. Otherwise, nothing particularly surprising. The direction is by-the-book, schoolish, lacking in enthusiasm or punch. The tone is monotonous, and I never felt any real sense of danger or tension, despite the dramatic events scattered throughout the script. A film that has all the hallmarks of a TV movie. Marco Perego can thank his wife. Yes, because it’s none other than Zoe Saldaña!!!

Garrett Hedlund plays the conscientious agent very well, just as Chris Coy plays the one who isn’t!

There’s even a small role for Tom Waits, who is first and foremost a songwriter, musician and singer, but also an American music director and actor.

We also see the lovely Sarah Minnich in one scene. I enjoyed her in Intrusion (2021) with Freida Pinto.

But one who really stands out and is absolutely brilliant is the Puerto Rican-American Adria Arjona. I would have loved to see more of her in this film. She had made brief appearances in the series Unforgettable (which I really like) and Person of Interest (which I don’t think I’ve seen at all). In 2015, she played a more substantial role in the second season of True Detective, as Emily, the girlfriend of a tormented cop. Just goes to show! It’s practically the same role she plays here, no joke!

I’d also had the chance to see her in the excellent Blink Twice (2024), the rather mediocre Pacific Rim Uprising (2018) – yes, the sequel to Pacific Rim (2013) – and in the rather dismal Morbius (2022), a failed Spider-Man spin-off despite having excellent actors and great characters.

Adria Arjona has certainly been around the block a few times. She also starred in Father of the Bride (2022), which is a remake of a remake! Originally, the novel was written by Edward Streeter in 1949. There was a film in 1950 starring Spencer Tracy, and another in 1991 starring Steve Martin.

And besides that, Arjona is also in loads of films I haven’t seen, such as: Hit Man (2023), Life of the Party (2018), Triple Frontier (2019), 6 Underground (2019), etc. I’m talking a lot about her because I don’t have much else to say about the film!

To conclude:

This Absence of Eden is a disappointment, even though it started off as a good idea. It’s far too slow, which is funny, because I was worried it would turn into an action film towards the end. Come to think of it, though, I wouldn’t have minded!

There aren’t any unbearably violent scenes, there’s a bit of sex, the dialogue is decent… but the film seems to go on for ages, despite its short running time. A rather run-of-the-mill drama.