The Punishment (Latin Film Showcase)

DIRECTOR MATIAS BIZE HAS GIVEN US A PROFOUND DEPICTION OF HOW ONE BAD DECISION BY A MOTHER AS A RESULT OF DEALING WITH AN UNRULY CHILD CAN ALTER A FAMILY's LIFE FOR THE WORSE- AND HOW HARD THEY MUST STRUGGLE TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. DIRECTOR BIZE IS DEFINITELY TO BE COMMENDED FOR PRESENTING THIS DRAMA IN ONE SCENE & ONE SETTING BECAUSE IT INCREASES THE TENSION BETWEEN THE WIFE (ANTONIA ZEGERS) & HUSBAND (NESTOL CASTILLANA) AS THEY ARGUE OVER WHO IS TO MORE TO BLAME FOR THE PREDICAMENT OF THEIR MISSING SON & ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. I REMEMBER SEEING ALFRED HITCHCOCK USE A SIMILAR TECHNIQUE IN HIS FILM "ROPE" (A FICTIONALIZED VERSION OF T HE LEOPOLD & LOEB CASE). BUT, IN HIS CASE, HE SEEMED TO BE DOING IT TO TRY A NEW STYLE OF FILM-MAKING, SO IT DOESN'T HOLD UP AS WELL AS HIS TRUE CLASSICS LIKE "REBECCA" & "PSYCHO." BUT, WITH THIS FILM, DIRECTOR BIZE HAS SUCCEEDED IN MAKING US FEEL AS IF WE ARE IN THE WORLD OF THESE TWO PARENTS & ARE JUST AS SEEMINGLY HELPLESS AS THEM IN SOLVING THEIR CRISIS.