ReelBob: ‘Invisible Life’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

“Invisible Life” should be an absorbing movie that takes you into the lives of two sisters who, unknowingly, are close, yet believe they are far apart.

The movie, set in Rio de Janeiro, is a heartbreaking drama about family betrayal, silence and shame, as we watch Guida (Julia Stockler) and Euridice (Carol Duarte) live their lives, each believing the other is fulfilling her dreams thousands of miles away.

This story of lost and missed opportunities should have more of an emotional heft that binds you to the characters. Unfortunately, at times, the movie feels distant, as if director Karim Aïnouz is content to simply allow you to watch events unfold.

Guida is the more impulsive person, while Euridice is more grounded, practicing daily, preparing to go to Austria, attending a conservatory and becoming a famous pianist.

Guida, seeking true love, runs off with a Greek sailor to his homeland. While she is gone, Euridice marries Antenor (Gregório Duvivier).

Later, Guida returns to Rio, pregnant and unmarried. Her conservative father, ashamed about her condition, sends her away and orders his wife not to tell Euridice about Guida.

Over the years the two face challenges. Each, though, continues to imagine the rewarding life the other is leading.

“Invisible Life” is a compassionate exercise that rejects anger and resentment. Instead, it features a quiet resolve as the idealistic fairy tales of youth grow dim and the realistic responsibilities of maturity take hold.

The sisters survive shattered aspirations and focus on living day-to-day. In Guida’s case, finding work and a home and taking care of her son, while Euridice reluctantly turns away from her piano to fulfill her marital obligations and raise her daughter.

As the film progresses, you hope that somehow the sisters will bump into each other on the streets of Rio or reunite in some manner.

I will not spoil the plot by divulging what happens, but the finale does emotionally satisfy.

At 139 minutes, “Invisible Life” drags at times; judicious editing could have trimmed some extraneous moments.

But the performances of Stockler and Duarte keep you invested. Stockler’s Guida finally comes to terms with her situation, explaining in a voiceover that, “Family is not blood; it is love.”

Even though Guida is the older sister, Stockler gives her character an immaturity and naivete that belies her age.

From the outset, Duarte depicts Euridice as a cautious woman who admires her sister’s independent streak but is fearful of taking a similar path.

Aïnouz touches upon the conservative social climate of 1950s Rio, which placed certain restrictions and expectations on young women, and, smartly, concentrates more about Guida and Euridice rather than any opinions about Brazil during the decade.

“Invisible Life” is a sorrowful but engrossing experience that makes you realize the muscle of sibling bonds and how neither time nor distance can sever them.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

INVISIBLE LIFE
3 stars out of 4
(R), nudity, sexual content, drug use