Luha: A Quiet, Sometimes Heavy Hang

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that let you just sit there and stare at a wall while the characters feel sad, you’ll dig Luha. If you need something with a plot that moves faster than a turtle in mud, stay away. This isn't a blockbuster; it’s more like a long, rainy Sunday afternoon trapped inside your own head.

Violeta del Prado is doing some heavy lifting here. Most of the time, she’s just staring into space, but you can see her brain working behind her eyes. It’s the kind of performance that makes you want to reach into the screen and just give her a cup of tea or something.

The quiet parts

There is this one scene where she’s folding laundry—literally, just folding clothes for way too long. The camera doesn't cut away. It just stays there, watching her smooth out a wrinkle on a pillowcase, and I swear I started counting the stitches. It felt uncomfortably real, like I was eavesdropping on someone’s breakdown.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Luha (1932) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is a bit of a mess, though. Sometimes it feels like the editor fell asleep at the wheel. Then, suddenly, something sharp happens, and it wakes you right back up. It’s jarring, but maybe that’s the point. Grief isn't smooth, right?

Comparing the vibes

It’s a far cry from the breezy energy of Ko-Ko Explores. That movie was all over the place, whereas Luha is claustrophobic. If you’re looking for something with a bit more of a classic, dusty feel, it reminds me slightly of the pacing in Os Faroleiros. Just way more modern, and way more depressing.

• The lighting is mostly just blue and gray. It’s very moody.
• I think there was a cat in the background of one scene that never got acknowledged?
• The dialogue is sparse. Sometimes people just grunt. I like that.
• The soundtrack is mostly just low-frequency humming. My ears felt weird after.

There’s this moment near the end with Jamie Castelvi that felt like it belonged in a different, better movie. It was too polished, too "written." It broke the spell for me. It’s like the film suddenly remembered it was supposed to be a drama instead of just a portrait of someone being miserable.

Anyway, I didn't hate it. It’s got a weird, sticky quality that stays with you. You won't walk out of the theater feeling great, but you’ll probably remember that laundry scene. Maybe that’s enough. 🌧️