Luminarias

“Luminarias” is an independent film by and about Latinos.  An incredibly low budget film at $285,000, it has a very professional look and feel to it.  There were many people who worked for free.  Originally released at Latino film festivals, it was released commercially and in video.  One of the reasons it may have taken so long to get a commercial release was the perception that Latinos don’t go to movies.  Since 1999, when “Luminarias” first appeared, there has been the development of a partnership between Universal Studios and Arenas Productions, specifically geared to reaching the Latino audience.  Perhaps the perception has finally died.

The story takes place during the Lenten season and is focused on Andrea, a family law attorney.  Her husband, played by Robert Beltran of “Star Trek:Voyager,” is cheating on her with a blonde.  Andrea discovers them in a liplock at the family residence during their anniversary party, and it is splitsville.  Turns out the husband has cheated before, but always come home.  This time he is talking about marrying the blonde.  According to Andrea, he is “in love with being in love.”

Andrea’s rage spills over on an opposing family law attorney, played by Scott Bakula.  He is a single, Jewish man who doesn’t know how to pronounce her last name, Valenzuela.  He is also named Joseph; her husband’s name is Joe (short for José).  They meet up again at Luminarias as a blind date arranged by her therapist friend Sofia.  The entire movie then follows the adventures of Andrea, Sofia, Irene, and Lily as they deal with race and ethnic discrimination.

All of them claim they want Latino men, with certain specifications.  As the story unfolds it is clear that despite their desire for Latino men, what they really want is to be loved for themselves.  Lily, a fragile artist, finds herself with a Korean who has disapproving parents.  Lily’s friends have previously warned her that Koreans don’t like Chicanos, a warning she happily ignores until confronted by the frowns and objections (in Korean) of the parents.  She is heartbroken, but her lover manages to convince his parents not to reject her, and Lily also reaches out to them, convinced that it can work.

Sofia, a psychotherapist, has left her East Los Angeles roots behind, including her mother and the Spanish language.  She drives a Mercedes and wants very much to be part of the dominant culture.  A love struck waiter named Pablo, who is either Mexican or Salvadoran, pursues her.  The ethnic difference is important, since he might very well have a large family over the border that he is supporting.  Sofia finally succumbs to his charm and comes to grips with her heritage, resulting in a visit to her mother and marriage to Pablo.

Irene, the hip designer, finds herself in competition with an unexpected ‘sister,’ her brother Carlos.  He is gay and wishes to be called Carmela.  Adopting celibacy for Lent, Irene is more than a little put off by her brother’s openness about his own sexuality. Irene wants her brother to act like a man, but finally realizes that he is what he is.

It is Andrea’s story, which proves the most interesting, and complex.  Introduced to Joseph the lawyer by Sofia, she finds herself engaging in an evening of drinking, dancing and finally sex with a man she would otherwise reject out of hand.  The catalyst is the appearance of her husband with the blonde on his arm at the restaurant.  Andrea is determined to demonstrate that she is just as desirable as the blond, and just as capable at finding another lover.  What starts out as a one-night stand begins to take shape as a real relationship.  Andrea is not sure what to make of this development, but is unwilling to end it.   They are on opposite sides of a divorce case, and Andrea withdraws, referring her client to another attorney.  The client’s ex-husband is abusive, and assaults their child during an unsupervised visit.  Andrea is horrified at this outcome.  She blames herself and she blames Joseph, driving him out of the house.

Lent is a season of renewal and the lead in to Easter, the Christian feast of the Resurrection.  This religious holiday occurs in the spring, around the vernal equinox, when the Northern Hemisphere is reawakening from the sleep of winter to the rebirth of life.  Lent is a period of reflection and preparation and it is no coincidence that Lent is the time when all of this occurs.  Lily finds love, nearly loses it, and then sees it recovered.  Sofia learns to accept a love that lacks artifice, reclaims her roots, and marries, which is definitely a step into a new life.  Irene comes to grips with her brother’s sexuality and is able to embrace him into her own life.  Andrea, no longer willing to accept her husband’s indiscretions, casts him out when he returns after tiring of his blonde paramour.  Each of these women reflects on and renews her life.

Yet it is Andrea’s story that ends inconclusively.  Recognizing and accepting the rage within her, created in social milieu that denies her cultural heritage, she nonetheless acknowledges its toxic effects.  She cautions her son not to let her rage prevent him from finding love, which he does with an African American.  At Sofia’s wedding it is Andrea’s son urging his mother to dance with Joseph, a man he initially resented.  She does so and the viewer feels her ambivalence.  Joseph represents a male, Anglo culture, which dominates the landscape.  It has hurt her and others, yet she is drawn to him.

Joseph is confused himself.  He is drawn to a woman whose culture is different from his and views him with suspicion.  His discomfort is palpable when he arrives at a party at Andrea’s mother’s house.  Falling into stereotypical thinking, he confuses Andrea’s Ph.D brother with the drug dealer relative and is embarrassed when he realizes the mistake.  He is not a deliberate racist, but he does reflect his own upbringing.  Finding Andrea at the wedding, he too is drawn to her, but unsure if he should proceed knowing that he represents a culture that she is angry with.  Their dance is cautious and tentative, but surrounded by love and joy as Sofia celebrates her wedding, Lily makes peace with her potential in-laws, Irene embraces her brother, and Andrea’s son learns that love can be color neutral.  There is hope for Andrea and Joseph even as Easter and spring represent the hope of a world renewing itself.

A word about Robert Beltran’s performance:

In 1999 I told Robert Beltran that he played a despicable cad in “Luminarias.”  He laughed but seemed to know it was true.  As Joe, he sets the stage for the action that follows.  A charming imp, he is smitten by his blonde girlfriend, and unconcerned about his marital vows.  He is so unconcerned that he engages in flirtation with the blonde in his own house during an anniversary party.  He is a man and while he may be a jerk, which he freely admits to Andrea, he is in love.  Or so he claims.  Encountering Joseph the lawyer at the birthday party, he has the audacity to speak about respect for his mother in law, and admonishes Joseph to take care of Andrea.

Joe is totally convinced that he can live life as he chooses.  If he encounters objections, he can employ sex to overcome them.  This becomes obvious when he first returns to the house and speaks to Andrea alone.  It is evident he has stepped out on her before and his overtures, which she accepts, appear to be the first step in a reconciliation.  She is shocked to her core when he announces he intends to marry the blonde, the first time he has ever suggested that an affair might be serious.  When he attempts to return to her, after dumping the blonde, it is via the marital bed where he proclaims he always loved Andrea and the blonde never meant anything to him.  This time, Andrea is not deceived and Joe is left dazed and confused by her unusual rejection.

Robert displays a sensuality in these scenes that pours off the screen.  His fans often comment on his charm and the character Joe exudes a charm that is almost irresistible.  Sex is as much a tool as it is pleasure for this character, and Robert’s use of his voice, his invasion of Andrea’s space to kiss and caress her, and the way he carries himself, speaks to the confidence of a man used to getting what he wants, when he wants.   Attempting to return to Andrea, Robert has the look of a man on a mission.  Crawling into the bed, he is desperate to convince Andrea that he is truly in love with her.  Andrea’s rejection leaves him with a look on his face that says more than any dialogue.

Robert’s character sets the action in motion and also brings to a close the marital relationship.  Robert himself relies on the native sensuality that any man has, but emphasizes it here because it is part of this man’s personal identity.  It is the key to his behavior since it is an effective tool.  There is a tendency to confuse the actor with the character s/he is portraying.  It would be understandable if Robert’s many fans assumed that he was as charming, as sensual, as confident as Joe.  Hopefully he can be as charming, without being a cad.