I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me is a 2023 thriller movie written and directed by Fernando Frías de la Parra. The film is based on a novel by Juan Pablo Villalobos. It stars Darío Yazbek Bernal, Natalia Solián, Anna Castillo, and Alexis Ayala.
From Mexico comes this thriller, filled with literary spirit, in which a couple is caught up in a strange plot full of dialogue, reflections, crimes, and a peculiar sense of humor.
However, all of this is seasoned with a literary background.
Synopsis
The trajectory of a writer’s career, and even their entire life, takes an unexpected turn when they become entangled in a perilous network of criminals just as they are about to relocate to Barcelona. This unforeseen twist plunges them into a riveting and thrilling tale of suspense and danger.
Movie Review
“I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me” is told with style, a lot of style, but above all with intelligence. A movie that seemingly belongs to the thriller genre, but manages, thanks to a measured screenplay, to twist the situation and place the viewer in the realm of ambiguity, in a blend of comedy, thriller, and the backdrop of romantic relationships.
“I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me” is a special and very distinct film. It will not be remembered for its spectacular images or outstanding production—it has a grey, almost grim, cinematography typical of dark thrillers. It features an almost Kafkaesque humor: a guy who, like Joseph K., gets involved in a plot without understanding its nature or how to resolve it.
It’s not a hilarious film, nor is it a thriller whose plot engrosses us because precisely, “I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me” is a movie that strives to get closer to Kafka and his mocking spirit than to Hollywood and its frantic way of making thrillers.
All of this makes the film a special and authentic work filled with humorous, absurd, and surreal moments, with two characters who, taken out of their context and in the midst of an apparently already finished romantic relationship, try to find themselves in the middle of this literary absurdity.
The movie is particularly funny when the protagonist tries to talk to one of the students and engages in a dialogue about feminism, the fight against patriarchy, and other matters in a situation reminiscent of Kafka or Cortázar.
Good performances by Dario Yazbek Bernal and Natalia Solián, who flawlessly recreate dialogues full of double meanings and ambiguity.
Our Opinion
Entertaining and, above all, very different. Recommended for those viewers who seek to escape the ordinary and immerse themselves, in some way, in a bygone era beyond the technology that, in a Kafkaesque manner, brought them into this mess.
Director
Fernando Frías de la Parra is a highly-acclaimed writer-director hailing from Mexico, born in 1979. He gained recognition with his debut feature film, Rezeta (2012), which he completed while pursuing a master’s degree as a Fulbright scholar at Columbia University. His remarkable second film, I’m No Longer Here (2019, 34th Festival), received a prestigious Goya award nomination. Additionally, he has directed notable series such as Los Espookys and Minx, showcasing his exceptional talent and range in the industry.
The Cast
