This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

The film begins with a man going to his ex-wife's apartment to deliver some frozen meat. However, after looking over her place twice to see if there were any clues as to where she was, he finds her--dead. Apparently she killed herself--and did an amazing job organizing her life for the family. For example, all the food that the family would need for Passover was there--made and labeled in the refrigerator. But, the story has a few hiccups. First, the ex-husband really despised her in many ways. For example, although she was a Jew, he deliberately finds her in a Christian cemetery and with a VERY Christian coffin--talk about passive-aggressive! Second, although I never knew it, apparently some Jews look upon suicide much like many Catholics see it--like it's a mortal sin and you cannot bury such a person in consecrated ground! Really. But, there is one more hitch that unexpectedly develops--something the dead woman did not anticipate--a stray photo.To me, this is a great example of a film that is expertly crafted but lacks one very important thing--a story. So, while I can really admire the acting (particularly Fernando Luján) and the director had a really deft artistic touch, the story itself left me flat--very flat. The biggest problem is that I kept expecting all the story elements to come together into something magical--something that would make this film worth while. But, unfortunately, it just never came. The sum of all the good parts just couldn't outweigh a story that seems like it should have seen at least one more re-write.

"Death hath so many doors to let out life." Beaumont and FletcherJose's (Fernando Lujan) ex-wife, Nora, of 20 years has died, and he is left with the arrangements. Not to worry because she has placed notes on Tupperware in the fridge and left instructions for everyone about the wake. Problem is, as she well knew, Jews may not bury during Passover, so Jose has to deal with preserving the corpse over the weekend and yielding to the strict Jewish prescriptions.Yet Jose long ago lost his faith along with his wife, who by the way has committed suicide after the 14th try. Under Jewish law, she may not be buried in the main part of the cemetery, just another barrier for Jose.And so it goes in this small but poignant tale of Judeo-Christian practices in turmoil and more importantly the roiling of Jose's inner dialogue as he realizes his wife was unfaithful to him while they were married. Besides the amusing struggle with the Orthodox Rabbi, Jose confronts a son who is too tied to his father-in-law and a close physician friend with a painful secret. Call it Secret and Lies, for the corpse has planned well to have the past brought to the present through her pre-suicide machinations. For Jose, it's a matter of dealing with his feelings for his ex-wife and his atheism in the presence of believers.Perhaps the subtlest success of the film is seeing Jose gradually reveal an inner core of feeling and humanity released by his ex-wife in her death. It's a strange irony made probable by underplaying and a powerful script.For an audience of believers and non, Nora's Will will make you think about the aftermath, just as Depatures (2008) made me think about preparing a body for the final journey. It's all more than we can know before the end, but it is up to art like this to help us prepare."A death-bed's a detector of the heart." Edward Young

As the story begins, we watch a woman setting up the dining room table, as though for a celebration. She has been cooking up for a dinner, but we do not know what is the occasion. Something peculiar, we never see the woman's face, just her activities around the kitchen and dining area. When the man delivering packages of meat does not get any answer at the apartment's door, his alternative is to bring them to Jose's place, across the street. Jose Kurtz turns out to be the former husband of Nora, the woman we saw earlier.When Jose goes to Nora's place, he is shocked to find her dead. It is clear to him she committed suicide. Jose being Jewish must contact the rabbi in order to set the funeral arrangement. The rabbi objects to Nora being buried in sacred ground, upsetting Jose. Having to deal with the problem, he decides to go to a local funeral place where he contracts for the necessary details to have her buried in a regular cemetery. "Nora's Will" directed by Mariana Chenillo, is a dramatic Mexican comedy that explores the clash between traditional Jewish culture and that of the country in which the story is set. In flashbacks we get to know what happened between Jose and Nora and what caused their divorce. The fact that Jose has only moved across the street from his former wife, speaks volumes. While he is not openly grieving, memories of a happier time in his marriage comes rushing to his mind. Fernando Lujan playing Jose makes an impression. He is stoic facing the final preparations for a wife he stop living with a long time ago, but in reality he has not stopped loving her. An in a way, finding the binoculars used by Nora to spy on Jose, also indicates she has not completely forgotten of the man she fell in love.Ms. Chenillo's debut shows a new talent in the Mexican cinema.

The scene is Mexico,modern times. A divorced woman,Nora, is getting things ready for Passover Seder (ordering the food,invitations,and every thing else). She then takes a fatal overdose of sleeping pills. Her ex husband,Jose,who lives directly across the street gets the box of meat for preparing,instead of Nora. When Jose takes the package of meat to Nora's flat,he discovers that she is dead in her bedroom. Jose, a weary,bitter man,makes calls for his son to come over & get things cleared up. Things only get in state of chaos when a host of folk arrive to deal with the deceased (various Rabbi's,Nora's long time domestic,other family members,etc.). The family for Nora to have a traditional Jewish funeral,despite the fact that she committed suicide (an absolute no no in the Jewish religion,where life is regarded as sacred). Problem is,Jose has become something of an atheist in his later years. All of this,and more,make for a sparkling black comedy that has a surprise element in the end (I'm not saying)that makes for a life affirming film. Mariana Chenilla writes & directs this film from her own screenplay. Cinematography by Alberto Anaya. Edited by Oscar Figueroa & Chenilla. The cast include:Fernardo Lujan as Jose,a somewhat unlikable soul (at first)that experiences a transformation of sorts. Silvia Mariscal as Nora,Enrique Aireola as Moises,Ari Brickman as Ruben,and Veronica Langor as Tia Leah. With Marina De Tavira,Max Kerlow,Juan Pablo Medina & Vanya Moreno. Well worth seeking out. Spoken in Spanish with English subtitles. Not rated by the MPAA,this film contains some rude language & brief sexual content