While the premise for this film is interesting, the problem lies in the lack of likeable characters who have strong enough depth to them that leaves more questions than answers.
Although I have heard this being described as a black comedy, in my mind writer and director Federico Borgia has created a dark domestic drama that requires a lot of focus and attention from the audience to make an impact.
The premise of the film is that of Jaime (Roberto Suárez), a butler and former lover to Isabel who is devoted to her dog an Afghan Hound named Prince, who finds himself caught up in a vicious custody battle in the wake of Isabel’s unexpected death. The viciousness of her son’s behaviour towards him and the uncertainty of Isabel’s grand daughter’s motives ensure that the story grows increasingly intriguing about its outcome.
This being said, it is a film that does require a lot of patience to get through. A slow build up, pacing issues, a slight over reliance on visual storytelling with little dialogue can make this a frustrating watch. In addition, we see very little of the characters in which offers anything to truly like about them and while it highlights a dysfunctional family struggling through the wake of tragedy.
Themes of greed, wealth, desperation, uncertainty are all explored yet there doesn’t seem to be any forgone resolution for any of the characters – except for Prince the dog. There are questions that feel left unanswered – such as the unresolved tension between Jaime and his son, Victoria’s need for control and her motivations for her actions. There is a real sense of selfishness on display from all of the characters that makes it difficult to remain invested as to the outcome of the film as a whole. It really is bleak to watch unfold as the characters just expect things to happen for them rather than taking any action in their lives.
It has been beautifully filmed with a great attention to detail but there are too many aspects that feel slightly stilted and can drag the audience in and out of the story too often. This is a shame as Prince does make for an intriguing concept for a story – but we do need a bit more understanding about the characters and why they are the way they are to ensure that the story makes sense.
The performances are interesting and the cast really attempt to draw out interesting aspects of the characters but nothing really feels fully resolved by the end which is a shame as just as things are intensifying it comes to an abrupt end.
Prince is an interesting and intriguing premise for a film, it is just a shame that not all of the pieces of the story hang together coherently enough to offer a satisfying conclusion.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️