A short and silly film about four sisters trying to figure out their paternity after their mother’s death, Despite Everything is bound to leave you speechless.
Do you ever watch a movie, and when it’s over, you think, “What did I just watch?” That is the experience I’m having right now. I’m amused, but mostly because I have no idea how to categorize or describe this film.
Despite Everything is about four sisters who have just learned of their mother’s death. Reunited at their mother’s funeral, they notice various overly-mournful people they don’t recognize. Later, at the reading of the will, they are told that the father they’ve always known is not biologically their father. Their mother’s last wish is that they go on a hunt together to figure out the paternity for each one of them. She wants them to reconnect and bond.
This movie is bizarre. On the one hand, I feel like it’s an offshoot of a telenovela. Certain situations arise that make no sense (I won’t list spoilers here, but one is glaring, as one sister walks into an art gallery and also, DNA tests don’t happen that fast) and others are ridiculous in a way that makes you feel like someone could suddenly return from the dead or have a secret twin.
On the other hand, it attempts to address the divisions between the sisters, their relationships with their mother, and the issues in their individual lives more seriously. You’re supposed to have an emotional response to some of it, which is really tough when you are half expecting a dead person to walk through the door.
One gift the film offers is that it’s incredibly short. It does not waste time on long, unnecessary conversations, and even the melancholy moments when each character ponders their circumstances pass by reasonably fast. It has a story to tell, and it tells that story, as goofy as it might be.
The chemistry between the four sisters is notable, and the actors play their parts well. Once dialed in, you are also curious to solve the mystery of their fathers, so you look forward to each one being revealed. It’s not great cinema, but it is entertaining enough for a rainy day and a few giggles.
I also recommend watching Despite Everything in Spanish with English subtitles so you get the most from each actor, but English dubbing is available if you’d prefer.
Runtime: 78 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: MA
Languages Spoken In The Film: Original Spanish with English subtitles OR English dubbing
Should You Watch It? Yes, but only if you need something ridiculous
Do you ever watch a movie, and when it’s over, you think, “What did I just watch?” That is the experience I’m having right now. I’m amused, but mostly because I have no idea how to categorize or describe this film.
