Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Clarissa Mora The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Ordinary Review I didn't know anything about this documentary before seeing it. For me this is strange because I often read many reviews or at least take a glance at reviews, see the casting, make sure that the film is something I want to see. I have never even read but one of Jose Saramago's work -- a short story titled The Tale of the Unknown Island. But what a beautiful tale it was! It was only because I loved that story and that I read this was a documentary detailing the last few years of his life, that I decided to see it. I didn't know that it was really him on screen, and that it was really his wife.It's a beautiful documentary. There is no plot, of course. There are moments though which happen naturally and which pile together, and the truth of those moments makes this a pleasure to see. Moments like Saramago waiting for his laptop to open up, and that sound of Windows welcome screen. Moments where he climbs a mountain. Sick moments when he is frail and feels he is closest to death. All throughout, the small gestures he shares with his wife, cupping the back of her head, ruffling her hair as they walk. This documentary is said to be a love story and I can see why. There are no long and passionate kisses, no sex, no convoluted chase as he tries to "win" her over -- instead, this is a story of two people in love twenty years after their being together. The small ways in which they know each other through and through. The nightmares he has when he thinks he will die -- they are not about death, or fear of death/retribution -- Saramago is famously and outspokenly an atheist -- but rather calling out for Pilar, and being unable to reach to her. For a Nobel prize winner, it can be expected how busy Saramago and his wife's schedules are. Yet what bothered me at first seeing this documentary was the kind of distaste he had for his fans. One of the scenes in the beginning were of Pilar sorting through his mail and tearing up most of the fan mail which they get in bulk nearly every week while making sarcastic comments about them. He hates being photographed or autographing yet goes again and again to events which he knows will require that of him. To me it felt somehow ungrateful, as these readers were responsible for his work being known, published, loved and if he was unable to participate in the publicity he could simply decline coming to those events. Of course I can understand as well the need for his personal life, his private life. Nevertheless, the fact that this sort of elitist sentiment was so overt in the documentary balanced out the image of him. He isn't heralded as saint -- he's just a man.The documentary also chronicles the process of him writing The Elephant's Journey one of the last books he wrote before his death in 2010, and the metaphor of the elephant whose journey would have passed by, anonymously, if he hadn't written about it felt to me a metaphor for his own life, for his own passing which would have gone by without event if it wouldn't have been for his work. Yet he is humble too, and reached international acclaim when he was in his sixties. I liked: Some beautiful quotes. Saramago often spoke of himself as a confirmed "pessimist" so his dry wit and sense of humor really made this pleasurable to see. Natural acting. It felt intimate, and special.I disliked: For some moments it seemed to drag on a little too long. 83/100 A beautiful and moving documentary about the life of a writer and the woman he loved. I think anyone could enjoy this. It's just a simple, well told and profound story.Read more reviews at: www.theordinaryreview.blogspot.com

elemcivs This film, as Variety has mentioned, definitely blurs the line between documentary and fiction -If one does not recognize the protagonists - it could just as well be a fictional film about Love - as it should be.The film is captivating, avoids sentimentality and becomes expansive in your mind days after viewing. Will probably have to see it various times to really capture the organic magic that Goncalves has created in Jose and Pilar.As a side note, it is curious to note that Saramago not only wrote the Elephant's Journey during this film but 2 more stories, Cain and The Notebook after the film ...It is a hopeful piece of film. Just beautiful.

Tiago Resende "Jose & Pilar", that was directed by the Portuguese director Miguel Gonçalves Mendes, is a result of a co production from El Deseo( in Spain), to which the so well famous Pedro Almodover is related to, from the O2 ( in Brasil), which is the self writer/director Fernando Meirelles ́ cinematographic company, and from the Jump Cut ( in Portugal ), to which Miguel Gonçalves Mendes is member. This documentary is the most intimidate portrait of the book-writer Jose Saramago and his wife Pilar del Rio ́s life, a story between Jose and Pilar and it deals also with their love to Life.Within this film "Jose and Pilar" It is possible that we embrace these two wonderful people, who have an unique, particular perspective about the world in addition to the whole rush of their daily lives. The film follows all the process of book writing in " the elephant journey", that is from the first idea ( 2006) to its launch and from the first idea to the launching date of another book of his, which was "Cain " what will happen at the end of 2008 only, passing through Saramago ́s illness leaving him very fragile which had also delayed its writing process.In three acts told we will acknowledge all the hard work of the couple through the rides and flights worldwide, in press conferences, meetings and autographs sessions . Nearly Saramago ́s Bibliotheque be inaugurated in Lanzarote, it was also when he began processing his new book "The elephant journey" In the second act, Saramago due to the stress his life had turn to be and overwork, Pilar called his agenda off because his husband mood was getting worse. Having been in the hospital for several months, during this period in which he had almost faced death. In the third act as he was already strengthened and he got on he vigorously start writing the book.For several months certainly we aware his writing until the opening of a biggest exhibition ever done in our Nobel prize of literature . In 2008 his book is real edited in Brasil.During his return home, he had an idea to his new book "Cain".Jose and Pilar is so a transparent documentary that we really get in touch with the real selves of these two people who love each other. Saramago is a very intelligent and good sense of humored man, with such a strong will to change the world. Therefore it is an optimistic documentary. Even though in his most difficulty moments he never looses the hope, his faith not even his sense of humor. Moreover Pilar del Rio is a very strong and determined woman, who always knew what her wishes were, the prime female defender of women rights. Dedicated wife,as she was,she loved him so much that she followed him everywhere. They were in a very closed relationship. They were made for each other. In other words Saramago without Pilar was not Saramago and Pilar was not Pilar without Saramago.Due to more than 240 hours of shooting, Miguel reached at a 2 hours long documentary. The crew went with the couple to some countries such as Finland Brasil including Portugal. Miguel ́s camera is so fantastic that all the public felt inside the screen, standing side by side to Jose and Pilar and as soon as the film ends it seems we had lived with them more than 3 years time.Thus we view them as if they were our two friends. The film is edited in high quality conditions it has experimental moments and besides it has a good sonority band. Unfortunately on the 18th June this year Saramago passed away without having even/ever seen the final version of this documentary.Crítica Cinema 7ª Arte www.cinema7arte.com

helenagmartins José e Pilar isn't (just?) a documentary, it's a well crafted story that no one wrote, that unfolded as the 4 years of filming passed by.You won't just see the Nobel award winner José Saramago, his love for writing and the tremendous respect for the people he wrote for. You will see first hand and for real how two people can be so in sync, so complementary and yet so different.And how life spins more and faster than the Earth. How some people actually do live forever. And how people sometimes take a long time to find their calling and their true love.Corny as it may sound said by me, you'll find nothing but beauty in this film.