Casa De Los Babys

John Sayles is a pioneer of independent American film-making. Although his work tends to stay well within the limits of mainstream narrative cinema, there is an unusually strong "social conscience" element to his choice of subject matter and a relaxed more discursive approach to story-telling than the conventions of commercial film-making require. Casa certainly fits within these parameters but whilst interesting in subject matter it is seriously marred by the fact that it suddenly stops with its story less than 50% told. Whilst no doubt there were budgetary considerations at play here, it is still incumbent on Sayles, who was also the writer and editor, to create a work that fits within them.

The story concerns a group of American mothers who have come to Mexico to adopt babies. For his purpose Sayles has assembled a wonderful cast including Mary Steenburgen, Susan Lynch, Lili Taylor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daryl Hannah and Marcia Gay Harden. Not only does Sayles give lengthy expositions of each of these women's stories there are also a variety of concurrent Buñuel-esque sub-plots involving local characters.

That this is intriguing stuff (the film is also interesting in that, although concerning what would usually be considered a "woman's" film, it was made by a man) only exacerbates the sense of frustration when the plug is suddenly pulled with a clearly hastily-contrived ending (presumably forced by budgetary considerations) that could in no way be considered a resolution.

 

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