Comments on: Beatriz at Dinner A Complicated Movie on Selfishness Explained

By: Jess

Jess — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 04:15:37 +0000

I can attest to Beatriz’s high sensitivity. Highly Sensitive People (hsp) FEEL EVERYTHING. It is a gift but often feels like a curse in the fast paced, money/power driven culture. It is also just plain exhausting. Being 100% present and attuned to the energies of others, even if it is joyous, zaps us to where we need days to recover. I think Cathy is completely right that B is burnt out. Living alone, caring for everyone, caring for her animals and herself, absorbing the negativity and cruelty she witnesses, being trapped in an unfamiliar and increasingly hostile situation, combined with too much alcohol and mj, and having murderous thoughts and fantasies, it is quite plausible she could become suicidal. Absorbing, feeling, having your emotions and other senses hijacked by reality is not by choice. It’s like asking a musician you havent seen in years if they still play their instrument – duh, I also still eat food and breathe oxygen too. And to be misunderstood by 75% of the population, to be seen as too serious or having no sense of humor is one of the most exhausting parts. And B is exceptionally sensitive as she explains about the octopus. I thought she would say her father was teaching her a lesson on treating even animals with respect, hence the veganism. I was stunned and upset by the ending but I cant believe it was just a fantasy. She need an ally or even a savior that night. That very bad night. Most suicides have that factor in common.

By: Newbie

Newbie — Mon, 01 May 2023 01:31:40 +0000

I missed the beginning so can’t comment on this, but I saw something elsewhere suggesting that the first canoe scene was her earlier (simpler, happier) life, and the second was her “afterlife”, returned to where she was happy and was reunited with her goat.

I assumed walking into the sea was suicide, but I agree that it felt out of character and unprovoked. She had earlier been looking at the sea view when outside with the other women, so I thought the spot she stopped at was somewhere she had seen then, and somewhere special to her (although I don’t know what made it special).

The other thing I thought the ending was representing was the contrast between her and the richies. They were setting off paper balloons (which are very dangerous to wildlife), and the balloons use fire to power them. Fire and water are opposite elements. Also, traditionally fire rages and destroys, while water soothes, but can be dangerous and the threat of it is often underestimated. Between that and a couple of earlier moments (e.g. when Doug was smoking as she was drinking), I thought it was suggesting that she is the water and he is the fire, and they will always be at odds.

By: Julie Goode

Julie Goode — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 04:46:30 +0000

Some of us grew up poor. I was poor with 5 siblings. But wealthy in having 2 parents. Love, morals, responsibility, books, outdoors most of our lives. I became Republican out of choice. Despite the fact that my older sister had an abortion, I knew it was wrong bc she displayed it to me. Morally, it didn’t need to be explained. It was killing a baby.so simple. At 15, I knew that choosing death for a child so that you could undo a mistake you could have pr3vented was …. Well .. obviously wrong. I became a Computer Scientist, studying logic along the way, philosophy, etc. All my decisions I came to on my own. My parents were very apolitical. I abhor wealthy people in general. They tend to be narcissistic and self-absorbed, so pleasure seeking. I live for meaning and service. This I did learn from my folks. Mom didn’t work, but served on charities all the time. Dad was military which payed little but we got cheap food from the commissary. Worked since I turned 13 and still do today at 61. I connected so much w Beatriz. The wealthy in the film were so closed minded and smug, good movie though although Trump is a stupid choicebc a wealthy very destructive person is Bill Gates. He is about as evil as it gets. He destroyed the work of Dr Paul Farmer in Africa through Partners in Health. He got rid of their entire program which was nutrition and supporting of helping folks learn how to properly take meds into a frickin vaccine program. Destroyed the health of millions of children by imposing stupid western values. There is a reason Africa would not accept the Covid vaccine. They had learned.

By: Melody K Moyse

Melody K Moyse — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:55:54 +0000

Not mentioned thus far-how gigantic every character was made to look before Salma. Nearly looming. How strong, authentic and intentional she stood not allowing money, status and class intimidate her. I really anticipated that her power would triumph. It did. For her. Her peace following such grief. Grief over the loss of her childhood friend and place and perhaps the goat who was a continued version of that bond for her. The ending is about SURRENDERING. Thanks to the director who allowed us to determine our own way of relinquishing control.

By: Debbie G

Debbie G — Sun, 22 May 2022 01:21:40 +0000

This movie left me with several different aspects of Beatrice’s brain. It could be that Tara was Naoli and they actually had a love affair but she committed suicide because she felt the miserable world would never get better and Beatrice wanted revenge prior to ending her own life, blaming everyone at that
Party for being a part of the worlds conditions.
2. Beatrice had a breakdown and she responded
To her anger, dispair and loneliness to life and people’ lack of respect, love and understanding of life of humans, animals and our environment

3. The haves and have nots of us all

This movie can keep us all talking for many months
On how we see our lives.

By: Mrs. Boyer

Mrs. Boyer — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 20:06:37 +0000

In addition, that would explain why she was ok with leaving her animals behind; because she felt they’d be safer.

By: Mrs. Boyer

Mrs. Boyer — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 20:03:41 +0000

I immediately came to the conclusion that she killed the “source” of evil/bad things (herself), like she said should happen. She killed the octopus in her story, she killed her goat (because she’s not quite all in there and I wouldn’t be surprised if she snapped and didn’trealize she did it) and now she’s escalated to fantasizing about killing a human. All the bad things in her life have turned her this way and she finally was having a “breakdown” (like she said to “Naoli” in the voicemail).
And after the fantasy of killing Doug, she realized she was a source of bad.

That’s just how my brain kind of threw it all together.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 20:37:40 +0000

I agree that her leaving her animals is incongruous with the rest of the film.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 20:10:52 +0000

I should add that were it not for her remaining animals the ending would be a good, not great, ending. But her connection to the 3 that are left makes what is depicted worse than flawed…it is a complete imsunderstanding of the world view of a true animal lover…animals first. Would have liked more of the metaphysical aspect but that’s a carrp. The viewer is left to ponder if the last river scene is ” real ” or her last thoughts . Probably the screenwriter considered whether or not to show the goat. Should have reconsidered the improbability of a person who lives by helping and self – sacrifice throwing in the towel and leaving those who most need her in dire straights.
Just thought of an even worse ending to an otherwise fine film…Haichi in which the dog dies after many years of waiting for his human to return…the death accompanied by the words of Walt Whitman to the effect that following death life becomes part of the universe, in other words ,vanishes. The Japanese original takes a different route entirely.