Most Beautiful Island (2017)

Most Beautiful Island (2017) is an independent American drama film.

A very, very strange reel this film is. To say the least. And there’s a lot to say!

A story that might seem fairly banal: an immigrant in New York struggling to make ends meet. She gets caught up in a plan that promises to be quite creepy: going to a party dressed in a black dress and receiving a fat envelope of cash at the end.

In other words, the film narrates a slice of life of a beautiful illegal immigrant who is struggling to make a decent living, agreeing, for a comfortable sum of money, to take part in a mysterious party headlined by young foreign women. She is then drawn into a rather disturbing and peculiar situation.

If the first part of the film (with its distinctive but realistic grain) is often a little boring, the second part is far more intriguing and anxiety-provoking. But the brevity of the film and its abrupt, meaningless conclusion clearly leave us wanting more. The breath is taken away for a few moments, but not much more. Except that we discover yet another form of human trafficking that also shows how millionaires can spend their money to make desperate people suffer.

In any case, this is clearly what actress Ana Asensio, who directs, produces and writes, as well as starring in the film, wanted to show us. I think she does a pretty good job of denouncing this scandal. She has created her film in the style of a documentary.

First of all, it’s really a portrait, with the camera following the young woman in the distance, who seems preoccupied by the problems she has left at home, which are having repercussions on her health. We also follow her as she does odd jobs, there are lots of shots of her crossing the street, and then when the camera moves in closer, the gentle documentary turns into something of a mystery thriller. Nothing extraordinary happens, but thanks to a great atmosphere, excellent actresses (just look at the characters of Luciana & Olga) and omnipresent tension, the story becomes really captivating and intense at certain moments. The situation is pushed to the extreme. This film tries to show a certain reality with these people who, to get by, are prepared to do anything. Even to do some pretty crazy things, as we see here.

Most Beautiful Island is the anti-American dream! So you have to wonder whether you have to go out and wait for that famous American dream. It’s an interesting drama and also, above all, a hard-hitting kind of survival (in an urban environment), carried by a superb Ana Asensio who is at her best both in front of and behind the camera. A chilling vision of survival in New York.

Uncompromisingly shot, cold and (as I’ve already said) anxiety-provoking, this fairly short debut foreshadows a director and actress to keep a close eye on. She doesn’t spare the viewer. With no soundtrack (the music we hear here is always in specific locations), the ultra-realistic, perverse scenario is hard to bear because the tension is so high, and it’s totally assumed. A fine achievement not to be missed. But obviously, these images won’t be to everyone’s taste.

Those with no sensibility whatsoever and who only want extreme violence, gore, bloody horror or action, you can just skip it! What’s more, you might not even understand the tension and anguish and say silly things like ‘I’m not sure any of this justifies the wait!’

Admittedly, the beginning of the film will be of little interest to some, apart from the bathtub scene, which will play its big part later, in the rather surprising end scenes that I could describe as spectacular perversion. Incidentally, this film should be avoided by people with certain phobias, particularly to small creatures with several legs.

In terms of atmosphere, it’s not exactly the picture-postcard New York we’re used to seeing, but rather underground Chinatown and other less touristy districts. Ana Asensio bases her story on real events. She takes up the good old concept of the American dream, the driving force behind the immigration represented here. Against the backdrop of New York’s bustling streets, still polluted by noise (and certainly smells!) and light, we discover another, much darker facet of the city that never sleeps. The film manages to keep us on the edge of our seats thanks to this famous evening, which is far from ordinary. The suspense lasts for more than half the film, right up to the scene that plays with our tension. However, the final revelation may also disappoint some.

In conclusion:

Strange and dark, this chilling thriller is almost static, but the dramatic intensity never wavers. Perfect acting and flawless direction. Deserves a wider audience.