“Dedication”, by Selina Sondermann A.K.A “The beautiful one with a Brazilian actress”
Have you ever watched a movie based upon a story of your favourite writer and said “man, that is why I love his books, he is so good”, but once you take the book to read it again you realize that this wasn’t what you saw in the movie? Well, probably, because historically speaking books are better than their adaptations for the big screen. But, that was not the case with Selina Sondermann‘s “Dedication“, because her Dollar Baby is one of those rare cases where the movie is way better than the book. I will explain.
The first time I watched “Dedication” was at the first edition of the on-line Dollar Baby Film Festival “Stephen King Rules”. And it was love at first sight. It had been years since the first time I read the short story and I did not remember the story, so Selina’s movie was a great surprise. Yesterday I grabbed my edition of “Nightmares and Dreamscapes” to read the original story before I start this review and I noticed that maybe the first time that I read it I did not enjoyed it that much, because I use to “give stars” to the books and short story, I simply write it down at the book if I like or not and how much I liked. And I didn’t write anything about that short story. But, that is ok and it is even a good thing, because sometimes when I read something a second time I like it better, it happens with movies too. But, that wasn’t the case with King’s version of “Dedication”, cause when I read it again yesterday I realized that Selina Sondermann kind of fixed the story. I will explain (again).
The best thing about this short movie is by far its screenplay, also written by Selina Sondermann. King has great female characters, yes indeed, but that was not the case in “Dedication”. He had a good idea, he had a great plot, but in my humble opinion he did not succeed at creating a character that we can root for. King wanted to write a story in which he would discuss how far a mother can go for his kid, but in my opinion he did not do a good job, because his Martha is kind of weak. The main changes on her life in the original story wasn’t made by her, she was always led to things like she did not have a choice.
That is something that Selina also said in her interview that she gave here in SKSM and I couldn’t agree more. Selina also said that she took some months writing and rewriting the screenplay because she was not sure if she should take some liberties with the story or stick to the original version. Thank God that she decided to take those liberties, because she fixed the story and got closer to what I think King himself wanted to say in the original story but he couldn’t.
Selina could. And she did not only because of her talent as a screenwriter and director, but also because something King himself could never achieve: a “woman’s touch”. Her feeling, the way a woman sees life, because sometimes not even a brilliant writer with a great empathy like King can’t talk with such property like a woman would. You know, there are some stories of King that I would love to watch it directed by a woman, written by a woman, such as “Dolores Claiborne“, “Gerald’s Game“, “That Feeling”, because once you got great female characters of his and think that it would became even a better story at the hands of great female filmmakers, man, that is Oscar material.
For instance, I love Paul Inman‘s version of “That Feeling“, but I would also love to watch a version of this story directed by a woman. Another good example is Julia Marchese, she directed such an amazing version of “I Know What You Need“. And now Selina Sondermann not only showed us how a great director she is, but also as a screenwriter she made excellent choices.
What she changed from the original source really made a better story! For instance, where the story happens: by taking this story and making an european movie with a immigrant female protagonist, a black woman, man… because for the past 10 years or so we have been watching an increase of xenophobia and racism, a huge wave of hate against immigrants not only in europe, but all around the world. In the original story King’s Martha came from the South to work in NY, but she was still american. A black woman, but american. So, a different way of discrimination, but still discrimination.
Selina’s version brings new layers to the character and it is great. It made the story a better story, it made the movie a great Dollar Baby still respecting King’s original idea and also the main theme, the main idea which is “what a mother can do for her child”. Thank you for this, Selina, thank you so much for your choices as a writer at adapting this short story, Danke.
And another great achievement of Selina in this movie was her cast, what a great cast! All the women in the movie are great actresses, especially the main actress, the Brazilian Raquel Villar. The first time I watched the movie I thought it was pretty cool that the character was Brazilian. She even wears a T-shirt of a famous Brazilian band “Olodum” and that was pretty cool for me as a Brazilian.
But when I talked to Selina about having her movie at my Dollar Baby Film Fest in Brazil, I found out that the actress was really Brazilian and that made this Dollar Baby even more special to me. Raquel is a great actress and I knew that even at the first time that I watched. But now, knowing that she is Brazilian, it makes me wanna watch other works of hers and maybe work with her someday. I hope I have the chance. Her Martha in this Dollar Baby had that innocence of young and pure people. And to think that this character lived hard days that made her come to Europe makes Raquel’s acting even more special. It really is great acting, do keep an eye at this woman in her next projects, she is special. I know I will.
A great achievement of this Dollar Baby was also its locations: most of the movie happens in a hotel where the main character works as a maid. And this is a beautiful hotel, Selina did choose well. The corridors and the rooms are beautiful, the kitchen… even the hostel, all the indoor scenes were very well produced, good choices for the movie. Another scene that comes to my mind when I think about this movie is Mama Delorme’s house. When the main character goes there the cinematography is beautiful, there are quick shots outdoors that really keep in our head, like the fruit, the bees, the chicken… all these to make the audience enter in the mood and start to think that this is a bruja’s house. So cool.
Another fun thing for me in this movie was the fact that there are 3 languages in it: they speak German, English and Portuguese. Raquel is one of the actresses that speaks these 3 languages, which reassures once again her talent. There is a funny scene where Martha is eating some food that the guest of the hotel left and when she got caught by another maid she hears “I hope you don’t use the guests bathroom” and then Martha answers in Portuguese with her mouth full. It makes me laugh every single time. Thank you, Raquel, obrigado mesmo.
This is a really great Dollar Baby, if you guys have a chance to watch it in a film fest, do yourselves a favour and watch it. It will be worth your time, believe me.
The Dollar Baby’s grade? We from SKSM give 5 fingers of the dead guy’s hand. Yes, this week the dead guy did not lose any of his fingers!!!! But, man, the toes… I won’t even start to tell you what happened to them this week.
That is it for today, guys. Thank you for your time.
See you guys next time.
Leonardo Granado.
