Almost five years since the 2012’ release “Halley,” director Sebastian Hoffman returns to the director’s chair for an equally chilling yet comedic project “Compartido Tiempo” (Timeshare), the lone Mexican production appearing at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
“Compartido Tiempo” follows the absurd events surrounding Pedro and his family who just want to enjoy their “paradise” getaway in a tropical villa at Everfields International Resorts, which has just transferred over to new ownership. Unfortunately, the resort is adamant in doing whatever it takes to sell timeshares, even if it is at the cost of a family torn apart. Meanwhile, personal demons surrounding Pedro and his wife are unearthed when they are forced to share their villa with…show more content… As a result, preachings of false happiness ensues alongside the dehumanization of the individual experience.
While not as direct, “Compartido Tiempo” preaches this message heavily. With that being said, Hoffman presents to his viewers, the ramifications of how capitalism which is intrinsically eurocentric, continues to degenerate the human experience with a slew of false forms of joy and fulfillment.
With the deliverance of this message funneled through the mirrored struggles of two families who have either fallen apart are on the verge of doing so, Timeshare persists with heavy emotional carnage. Although it is a dark comedy in nature, the initial humor of Compartido Tiempo slowly wears off and grief creeps up in subtle increments. With jarring moments of mental instability, surreal dream sequences and fractured moments of character dynamics serving as the film’s source of darkness and strife, the emotional and tonal shift feels deceptive yet becomes almost too painful to…show more content… Perplexed, Andres replies, “I just want to improve. For what? I don’t know.” Andres’ words serve a larger importance than a personal one. As the question of “Who was I meant to be” looms heavy-handedly over the film’s plot, there is an obvious discomfort with the notion of complacency and settling down. Why this is the case isn’t entirely clear, but the urgency to improve, to force oneself into a situation of superficial happiness is a clear, internal struggle toiling within film’s main