Most Beautiful Island *** ½ / *****
Directed by: Ana Asensio.
Written by: Ana Asensio.
Starring: Ana Asensio (Luciana), Natasha Romanova (Olga), David Little (Doctor Horowitz), Nicholas Tucci (Niko), Larry Fessenden (Rudy), Caprice Benedetti (Vanessa), Anna Myrha (Nadia), Ami Sheth (Benedita), Miriam A. Hyman (Bikie), Sara Visser (Katarin), Natalia Zvereva (Ewa), Jennifer Sorika Wolf (Mai), Fenella A. Chudoba (Alina).
Spoiler Alert: Even more than most movies, Ana Asensio’s Most Beautiful Island works because of the narrative twists and turns it takes – starting out as one thing, and ending up as something else entirely. Because the best sequences in the film are the later ones, I would find it hard to discuss the film without talking about them – so be warned before reading on. You should definitely see the film – and you should definitely NOT know what you’re going to see when you do. You’ve been warned.
The first half of Ana Asensio’s Most Beautiful Island is essentially a neo-realist immigrant drama – a well-made one, with fine performances, directions and writing, but something that you have definitely seen before. Yes, there is one sequence in a bathtub– if you’ve seen the film, you know the one I mean – that at least hints at the possibility that there is something more going on here, but because of the brevity of that scene, and how much time after it seems like a normal drama, you put it out of your mind. You know it’s probably not going to be good when the main character, Luciana (played by writer/director Ana Asensio) is invited to work at a secretive party – and needs black heels and little black dress – to do so. Just what happens there, however, is something you will not see coming.
Most Beautiful Island is a film that works because of just how committed writer/director/star Asensio is to telling the story. The first half of this 80 minute movie, is about the regular challenges and humiliations that a working class immigrant faces in America – with multiple jobs, family back home, past traumas, no access to health care, and many other things piling up. It makes sense that Asensio would jump at an opportunity to make some quick money when her friend, Olga (Natasha Romanov) tells her about a party she’s supposed to work, but cannot make it to. From there, the tension starts to escalate, as Luciana follows some instructions, and has to travel to a few different places in New York, given cryptic messages, and a little purse she must bring with her. When she finally arrives at the “party” – welcomed by Larry Fessenden (never a good sign when he shows up) the last act of the movie is almost unbearably intense and frightening.
I don’t really want to reveal what happens next, so I won’t. What I will say is that the film says that each “game” lasts only two minutes, but it sure the hell feels a lot long than that. Perhaps it is because of my own phobias (then again, I think Asensio is smart to pick such a wildly held phobia to play with) but I’m not sure I’ve held my breath in a movie for that long ever before.
The whole film isn’t as great as that one sequence – and yet the sequence is as effective as it is, because of everything that surrounds it – which skillfully misdirects you away from it. The film is an ultra-low-budget debut for Asensio, who pulls it off brilliantly. This is a calling card movie for her. You can dismiss it as a stunt, but it works – and it should allow her to do something even better with her next film.
