Harka

Broad paraphrase of BICYCLE THIEVES aided by a terrific sense of place, and gradual encroachment of corrosive panic, not to mention Bessa’s deeply felt performance in the lead; still the melodramatic turn in the final act feels contrived, with Nathan’s screenplay not quite putting the pieces in place to support Bessa’s ultimate breakdown, and while the final shot is aesthetically impressive, the jump to presumed magical realism doesn’t resonate as it should. Worthwhile, but rates as a near-miss.