The Firefly

The Firefly is a well-made movie that achieved what it set out to do. However, I don’t want to ever watch it again because it is sad.

The Firefly is about two women coping with loss. Mariana’s fiance has died and through this tragedy, she meets his sister Lucia. The two women grapple with this loss and through it, become close in a way that becomes less than platonic.

What really works about The Firefly is the bond between the two leads. There’s real intimacy before anything romantic happens due to them being brought together by tragedy and the movie doesn’t scrimp on showing us this. Carolina Guerra and Olga Segura have great chemistry which sells this rather complicated emerging relationship.

While being competent, I was just never fully engaged with The Firefly. The whole movie is just made up of sad conversations. The Firefly was a bit low on major plot points that pull me into the narrative. It’s just pretty relentless sadness with a relationship being slowly formed in the midst of this.

In general, the performances of Carolina Guerra and Olga Segura are wonderful. They both portray the agony of such a loss as well as the growing bond between themselves.

Where this movie loses me is when Lucia and Mariana’s relationship becomes overtly romantic. Despite building up slowly, after they first kiss it becomes rushed. It’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine in WLW movies where characters will have sex right after the first kiss or confession of feelings. Lucia and Mariana’s relationship up until now had been a slow-burn. For them to suddenly hop into bed together felt rushed.

Ultimately, The Firefly is successful in what it set out to do. I just can’t say that what it set out to do was the most engaging narrative. The Firefly is a good portrait of dealing with grief and because of that, it’s a rather enjoyable movie to watch.

Overall rating: 6.1/10

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