Ayer y hoy: A century apart and mostly feeling it

Is it worth your Sunday afternoon?

Honestly, you probably only want to watch Ayer y hoy if you have a weird itch for early cinema experiments or you’re a complete sucker for family sagas. If you hate slow-burn pacing or movies that feel like a stage play taped to a screen, you will absolutely loathe this. It’s stiff, it’s earnest, and it’s about as subtle as a brick through a window.

The whole thing is built on this 100-year jump. We spend time in 1830, which looks predictably dusty and cramped, and then we bounce to 1930. The shift in vibe is the whole point, obviously. You see the corset-tight repression of the ancestors, then you get to the 1930s where everyone is suddenly wearing looser clothes and acting like they’ve discovered electricity for the first time. ⚡

The 1830s struggle

Victoria Garabato looks like she’s carrying the weight of the entire century on her shoulders. Every movement is calculated. It’s actually kind of impressive how trapped she makes her character feel. You can almost hear the floorboards creaking under the sheer weight of social etiquette.

There’s this one scene where she just sits by a window. It goes on for an eternity. I checked my watch twice. I think I even saw a fly buzz past the lens, and for a second, the fly was the most interesting part of the movie.

The jump to 1930

Then we cut to 1930, and the change is jarring. It feels like the director suddenly realized they could use lights. The actors are louder. They move faster. It’s almost like watching two different movies stitched together by a very tired tailor. It reminds me of the pacing issues in The Wife He Bought, where the narrative momentum just stops dead to let someone deliver a monologue that doesn't actually go anywhere.

• The costumes are surprisingly detailed.
• The lighting in the 1830 segments is weirdly flat.
• The transition between eras is... abrupt.

Some of the supporting cast are doing way too much work. Miguel Faust Rocha is acting like he’s in a different genre entirely. He’s got this intense stare that makes you wonder if he forgot his lines or if he’s just waiting for the craft services table to open. It’s funny in a way that I’m sure wasn't intended. 🍿

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even a particularly smooth watch. But there’s something about the way it tries to paint the contrast between these two worlds that’s kind of endearing. It’s a bit like watching someone try to solve a puzzle while half the pieces are from a different set.

Not essential viewing, but if you’re bored, it’s not the worst way to waste an hour or so. Just don’t expect it to change your life.