Throughout her versatile career, Argentine director Gabriela Tagliavini has worked in several different countries with mostly mid-budget romantic comedies. Tagliavini has made movies in her native Argentina (Perfect Lover), in Mexico (Ladies Night), and even an English-language US production featuring a Latino cast (Without Men). Now, she is trying her luck in Spain for her latest effort A pesar de todo, an original dramedy for Netflix about siblings loving and understanding each other despite it all.
Upon their mother’s death, four sisters, Sara (Blanca Suárez), Lucía (Amaia Salamanca), Sofía (Macarena García) and Claudia (Belén Cuesta), learn that the man they call dad is not their biological father. As part of her will, their mother specifies that the four of them must embark on a search to discover who their real fathers are in order to get their inheritance.
The official trailer doesn’t dive deep into the plot, but gives us a collage of clips where the sisters are in a variety of hilarious situations while they sing the iconic track “A Quién Le Importa” by ’80s band Alaska y Dinarama (later also made famous by Thalia).
Because of their conflicting personalities, the trip appears riddled with comical misfortunes that develop into touching moments of sisterhood. Orchestrated by their mother (Marisa Paredes) beyond the grave, the road trip allows the sisters to reconnect as they uncover their family’s biggest secret.
Elegantly shot, the film showcases sun-dappled cinematography giving the images an inviting lightness. Given that the characters come from a well-to-do lineage, most locations seem to be large homes with gorgeous furniture to match their stylish outfits. Each shot looks like an Instagram-ready frame sprinkled with wine, a little bit of weed, and generically handsome men.
Written, directed, and starring women in a story where they assert their agency and develop alliances with other women, A Pesar de Todo is in line with Tagliavini’s filmography so far and will likely be an entertaining ride with a few tear-worthy scenes. Friday night material for sure.
A pesar de todo (Despite Everything) premieres May 3, 2019, on Netflix.