Antonio, the husband of the story, is a coward. Like other men that batter their wives, he is a man that offers no redeeming qualities. Like other men in his position, Antonio vents his frustration on Pilar, a woman that has kept quiet about the abuse she receives from her husband. Antonio, as well as some of the men like him, will not change, because basically, they are too far gone to see the damage they are causing to their wives and to their families. Antonio is the kind of man who never apologizes for the damage he has done to Pilar, and their son.
As the film opens, Pilar is seen packing a few necessities, as she gets her son ready to go to Ana, her sister. Ana evidently has seen through her brother-in-law, but until this point, she has no reason to believe any foul play being done to her sister; Pilar is a mess. With Ana's help, Pilar gets a job as a substitute in a museum in Toledo. It's there, with the help of the other women that work there, that she begins to see she has a calling for becoming a museum guide. She has a passion for exploring the mysteries behind some of the paintings in the museum.
Antonio, who keeps turning up to get Pilar to go back home, begins attending a group session therapy directed at men who have his same problem. When Pilar thinks she is seeing a change in her husband, she consents in going back with Antonio. Unfortunately, she realizes the problems within her husband will never change. Like Nora, in "The Doll's House", Pilar has the guts to leave her husband, her situation and her life as a bright future awaits her when she goes to Madrid.
Iciar Bollain, the talented director of this film, shows she really understands what happens to a battered woman who is terrified to go to the authorities to report the abuse. What has started as physical beatings, turns into mental abuse as Antonio doesn't understand the harm he inflicts on his family.
Laia Marull plays Pilar with perfect restrain. Ms. Marull's Pilar is typical of a woman whose life has been derailed by a bully who can only think of the sexual aspect of the relationship and never has a meaningful conversation with her. Luis Tosar is equally up to the challenge with his Antonio, the brutish man who will hit his woman at whatever he thinks is a provocation. Candela Pena makes a valuable contribution as Ana, the sisters that dares to confront her sister, and her mother. Rosa Maria Sarda plays Aurora, the mother, who we get to believe has been an abused wife, herself.
"Take my Eyes" is a powerful drama that questions what others don't. Iciar Bollain is to be commended for bringing it to the screen.
As the film opens, Pilar is seen packing a few necessities, as she gets her son ready to go to Ana, her sister. Ana evidently has seen through her brother-in-law, but until this point, she has no reason to believe any foul play being done to her sister; Pilar is a mess. With Ana's help, Pilar gets a job as a substitute in a museum in Toledo. It's there, with the help of the other women that work there, that she begins to see she has a calling for becoming a museum guide. She has a passion for exploring the mysteries behind some of the paintings in the museum.
Antonio, who keeps turning up to get Pilar to go back home, begins attending a group session therapy directed at men who have his same problem. When Pilar thinks she is seeing a change in her husband, she consents in going back with Antonio. Unfortunately, she realizes the problems within her husband will never change. Like Nora, in "The Doll's House", Pilar has the guts to leave her husband, her situation and her life as a bright future awaits her when she goes to Madrid.
Iciar Bollain, the talented director of this film, shows she really understands what happens to a battered woman who is terrified to go to the authorities to report the abuse. What has started as physical beatings, turns into mental abuse as Antonio doesn't understand the harm he inflicts on his family.
Laia Marull plays Pilar with perfect restrain. Ms. Marull's Pilar is typical of a woman whose life has been derailed by a bully who can only think of the sexual aspect of the relationship and never has a meaningful conversation with her. Luis Tosar is equally up to the challenge with his Antonio, the brutish man who will hit his woman at whatever he thinks is a provocation. Candela Pena makes a valuable contribution as Ana, the sisters that dares to confront her sister, and her mother. Rosa Maria Sarda plays Aurora, the mother, who we get to believe has been an abused wife, herself.
"Take my Eyes" is a powerful drama that questions what others don't. Iciar Bollain is to be commended for bringing it to the screen.