Hermidias En el nombre de la hija is Mildly Charismatic But Lacks Substance

While no longer in theaters, this film will certainly remain in our minds for a while.
En el nombre de la hija, set in the Yunguilla valley in the summer of 1974, is a moderately
charming story of self-discovery.
Manuela (Eva Mayu Mecham), the daughter of a couple of atheist Marxists, is taken
with her brother Camilo (Marcus Mecham) to her grandparents rural residence while her
dad (a physician) cures the diseased in a foreign country.
Adapting to the traditionalist lifestyle of their older relatives was hard enough, but
dealing with the cookie-cutter antics of their cousins (who were also left for the summer
there) is hard for both, but especially for Manuela. Her cousins ostracize her for being so
tomboyish, which drives her to befriend Piojo, the son of the indigenous family working for
her grandparents without pay and work for the family product of the latifundio. This
friendship does not only annoy her relatives because of the lower social standing of Piojo,
but her reactionary grandparents are alarmed by this. Climatic scenes result from this
situation, depicting racism and misogyny that is so deeply embroiled in Ecuadorian society.
Among her endeavors typical to childhood, Manuela finds a hidden room in the
country estatethe one of her long-forgotten uncle Felipe, a mystic erudite who resembles
caveman and is far more than insane. With him she finds comfort, but the supernatural
uncle helps her discover who she truly is, while teaching her that a name is more than just
letters put together.
Eva Mayu Mechams (Manuela) performance borders dullness, but is certainly good
for someone new to the industry. While at times seemingly too mature for her age, such as
when she refuses baptism only because it goes against her principles, Manuela is sometimes
just too patronizing and generally unlikable. The director fails to help deliver a character
with whom the audience can identify with. She never smiles, and almost certainly neither
will you.
The same applies to the other kids. While some are better than others, they all
deliver unpolished charactersperhaps the one to blame is Hermidia, but one can certainly
tell that they lack what is needed for stellar performances.
Out of all the adult characterswho give average to lame performancesFelipe,
the crazy hermit uncle, stands out. His eccentricity and rustic physique do leave a lasting
image.
What I disliked was the flatness of the characters. Nobody really changes and all
remains static throughout the story. So much more could be done, but Hermidia didnt take
advantage of the possibilities and presents the audience a half-cooked dish.
Dont expect to be surprised by sudden and interesting plot twists, but rather expect
pensive and thoughtful moments overcharged with symbolism. Perhaps the only time when
the audience receives climatic tension is when Manuelas beliefs clash with those of her
relatives, but this ultimately leads the plot nowhere.
Just like her previous film, Que tan lejos, Hermidia develops the same bland theme
of self-discovery. Potentially, the only discovery you will find while watching the film is
that you would have rater done something less boring and more fulfillinglike getting
cheesecake, so to speak.
This film does not linger in your mind for its greatness, but rather for its lack
thereof. So much could be obtained from the plot but maybe Hermidia, as a director and
writer, failed to take advantage of her own creation.