Beatriz at Dinner

Salma Hayek courageously takes on the role of Beatriz in the film BEATRIZ AT DINNER. Beatriz is a humble immigrant massage therapist whose car will not start when it is time to leave a client's home. Her affluent client Kathy, played by Connie Britton, graciously invites Beatriz to stay for dinner since she is waiting for a friend to finish work before he can fix her car. Kathy's husband Grant, played by David Warshofsky, initially disagrees because he is entertaining important business contacts at this particular dinner.

The central dinner guest is Doug Strutt, played by John Lithgow. Doug is a wealthy man who owns hotels and other businesses. As soon as he sees Beatriz, he assumes she is the hired help and asks for a refill of his drink. His second blunder is when he speculates that Beatriz illegally moved to the United States from Mexico. Furthermore, he arrogantly discusses his many investments, including a resort in Mexico. Beatriz presumes it is the resort that promised so many people she knew work, but never opened and left everyone destitute.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER is relevant because it shows social class perceptions. Depending on one's financial status, the business mogul's decisions are viewed either as good business that benefits people or bad business that exploits people. The movie sparks discussion and presents an ambiguous ending.

BEATRIZ AT DINNER is currently playing in theatres. The official Web site is http://roadsideattractions.com/filmography/beatriz-at-dinner/.

Brooklyn

Colm To'ibin's novel Brooklyn is the inspiration for the movie, BROOKLYN. I have experienced being an immigrant just like Ellis Lacey (played by Saoirse Ronan). Usually hope and some fear are a part of the process.  Hope carries more weight, except in BROOKLYN Ellis is very young and still trying to discover who she is and if the dreams she has are actually hers. She also has difficulty leaving her mother and sister in Ireland.

The immigration process can include much adventure due to challenges of learning another culture. In the United States Ellis discovers there are many other Irish immigrants in Brooklyn, including the boarding home in which she lives. She also receives support with enrolling in school and finding a job. She even starts socializing and meets an Italian man named Tony (played by Emory Cohen) at a dance.

In the 1950's there are several opportunities for Ellis to discover who she is via experiences she has when getting help from people she meets, especially Tony. Falling in love for the first time is overwhelming for her, and thinking about going back to Ireland provides confusion. She does not even tell her mother and sister about Tony.

BROOKLYN is a coming-of-age story that is engaging. The writing and performances are excellent. It is always a pleasure watching Saoirse Ronan portray interesting characters.

For more information, visit the official Facebook page for BROOKLYN at https://www.facebook.com/BrooklynMovie.