Exit Elena2012

Often uncomfortable, Nathan Silver's film is a quiet sort of revelation.

The very real characters and a humble, domestic, banal setting and situation of a family and the help that becomes a part of the family is just a part of what this story touches on. There are so many moments of small tragedies that stitch together a fabric of what becomes heartbreaking reality. It's a view of life without the frills, beauty, dreams and wishes.

Exit Elena has an unusual amount of obviousness. Every character is predictable. You know exactly what they will do next. This can be known by their level of sadness, desperation and desire to move, forward, backward, or to be just gone. You would think that would make for a bad story, a bad film. But it doesn't. I think that is because the actress playing Elena is surprisingly interesting. She slowly pinballs through this annoying family while being overly sweet, maintaining her innocence, and accepting all that is put upon her. An explosion of emotion is not expected and it does not happen. And it is not necessary. Kia Davis has a face that made me want to know what she was really thinking. We don't get to see much of her inner opinions or emotions. She leaves all that for everyone else. But her face, pretty, natural, and perfect for this role kept me watching and wanting to know just a little bit more. She makes this movie work from beginning to end.

Nathan Silver's always interesting hyper-realistic approach is compelling here, but fails to develop as seemlessly as his later efforts.