Film Review: MONICA (2022): Andrea Pallaoro’s Dramatic Film is a Powerful, Finely Acted Character Study

Monica Review

Monica (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Andrea Pallaoro, written by Orlando Tirado and Andrea Pallaoro and starring Trace Lysette, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Browning, Adriana Barraza, Joshua Close, Jean Zarzour, Bobby Easley, Brittany Picard, Angel Kerns, Anna Sheridan, Vladimir John Perez, Karen Olchovy, Mark Mench, Graham Caldwell, Bryant Bentley, Jenny McManus, Ruby James Fraser and Lucia Ramos.

Director Andrea Pallaoro’s touching movie, Monica, is a profound story about family, acceptance and forgiveness. While the main character of the movie, Monica (Trace Lysette), may not immediately draw viewers in completely, Pallaoro’s film slowly unveils pieces of her life which will help the audience put together the puzzle of her past which is sprinkled with a fair amount of heartbreak and despair. This is a very powerful film that showcases some intriguing and compelling performances.

Monica is a transgender woman who reunites with her family after a long absence when her mother, Eugenia (Patricia Clarkson) falls gravely ill. However, Monica comes into Eugenia’s life as a caregiver, not as her child. Eugenia rejected Monica as her child but the circumstances have led Paul (Joshua Close), Monica’s brother, to secretly bring Monica into Eugenia’s home. This is a movie that delves into the main character, Monica’s desires and her need for healing during a rather devastating time in her life.

Emily Browning (who is not on screen enough) plays Paul’s wife, Laura, who is having difficulties in her marriage with Paul although they have several children together. Adriana Barraza, in a terrific piece of acting, portrays Leticia who is the aging caregiver that is taking care of Eugenia. At first, for Eugenia, Monica doesn’t need to be there but being Leticia’s assistant is the only way for Paul and Laura to justify her presence in the home.

When we first meet Monica, she’s being bothered while in her car by a persistent, annoying man. Monica also has an ex-partner who is giving her the cold shoulder and not returning her calls. Monica is lost in her life. She finds an odd sense of purpose by caring for the woman who rejected her for her choices in her life. Eugenia, however, is still Monica’s mother.

A frustrated Monica goes out to try to get her mind off of the fact that Eugenia is dying and doesn’t know Monica is, indeed, her grown child. Monica gets stood up, her car breaks down and things couldn’t be worse for her as she tries to achieve some sort of happiness in life. Only by caring for Eugenia (her mom) and interacting with Paul and Laura’s children, does Monica find a reason for living. There are also some powerful moments between Paul and Monica which shed significant light on their history as siblings.

Trace Lysette is absolutely astounding here. Playing a character who is flawed but undeniably caring and unique, Lysette’s Monica eventually becomes easy for the viewer to care about. Watching her bond with Paul and Laura’s kids is rather moving too. At one point, Laura asks Monica if she plans to adopt kids of her own but Monica is clueless as she has gone through her life facing one obstacle after another. Brody (Graham Caldwell) is the child that Monica bonds the most with and the conclusion of the film brings them together in a heartwarming moment of clarity that has deep meaning.

Patricia Clarkson is excellent (as usual) portraying Eugenia as a woman who may have deep regrets in her life. She doesn’t want to fight for her own survival. This is evidenced by the fact she doesn’t take her medications as prescribed. She is going to get through the rest of her life, however short, though, and she gets her hair done in a particularly interesting scene. Eugenia also takes photos with family members and Monica becomes a part of the family whether Eugenia will realize who she truly is or not.

Monica is a tremendously difficult film but a very rewarding one. It is not always easy to watch due to the suffering that is being endured by the characters on the screen. What makes the movie truly special is the performance by Lysette. Her scenes with Clarkson are very fascinating. That’s because we question at times whether Eugenia ever truly realizes that Monica is her grown child. They bond and embrace one another but what is said and what is unsaid between them is the most heartbreaking and complex part of the picture.

As Lysette’s character comes more into focus, Monica excels as a movie, particularly in the latter stages of the film. It will make you search your soul to understand what these characters are going through emotionally. The last words of the film which are heard at the end are “…home of the brave.” What a truly inspiring way to relate the house that Monica occupies during the course of the picture to the persona of the character of Monica. She is brave, strong and fiercely independent and so is this movie.

Rating: 8.5/10

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