Soulless Women: A total trip through Orol’s fever dream

Is this for you?

Honestly, only watch Soulless Women if you have a high tolerance for melodrama that feels like it’s vibrating at a weird, high frequency. If you want a tight, logical plot, you’re going to have a bad time. But if you dig old-school, slightly chaotic cinema where the emotions are always dialed to eleven, you might find something weirdly charming here.

It’s not for the casual viewer who wants a breezy Friday night watch. It’s for people who want to feel like they’ve stumbled into a stranger’s intense, repetitive dream.

The Orol Factor

Juan Orol doesn't make movies; he makes these weird little puzzles of longing. You can feel his hand in every scene, even the ones that don't make any sense. It’s got that same frantic, slightly desperate energy you’d find in The Wandering Toy. Everything is a matter of life or death, even when people are just standing around in a living room.

The pacing is… well, it’s not pacing. It’s more like a series of jolts. One minute everyone is talking calmly, and the next, someone is spiraling into a total breakdown over a letter or a look. It’s exhausting in a way that I kind of respect.

Odd moments that stuck

• There’s a specific door-slamming sequence that goes on for about four seconds too long. It’s awkward, but I couldn't stop watching.
• The lighting in the cafe scene is bizarre. Half the actors look like they’re in a noir film, and the other half look like they’re in a soap opera. It’s a total mismatch.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same extra in the background of three completely different locations. He looks just as confused as I felt.

Not really a masterpiece

Let’s be real: this isn't a technically polished flick. It’s got that raw, unfinished feel that makes you wonder if they just ran out of film and called it a day. Some of the performances feel like they were directed by someone shouting instructions from behind a curtain. But then you get these moments—a close-up on an eye, a lingering shadow—that just hit right.

It’s not as slick as The Perfect Woman, but it’s got way more heart, or maybe just more desperation. It’s a messy, jagged, beautiful disaster. Sometimes that’s exactly what I need to watch. 📽️

Don't expect it to change your life. Just expect to be baffled and slightly entertained for an hour or two. It’s a strange little artifact.