‘Corina’ Review: A Refreshingly Endearing, Surprisingly Incisive Defense of Happy Endings That Plays Like Mexican ‘Amélie’
A 20-year-old woman struggling with agoraphobia resides in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city and birthplace of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. The main character, portrayed by Naian González Norvind (from “New Order”), dresses in boots, a maxi skirt, and sports the iconic French bob hairstyle reminiscent of actress Audrey Tautou as Amélie Poulain from the movie “Amélie.” The visual resemblance to Jeunet’s romantic tale isn’t just noticeable; the story, titled “Corina,” starts with a voice-over narration and flashbacks detailing Corina’s traumatic childhood following her father’s sudden demise. Her fearful mother, Reneé (played by Carolina Politi), had isolated their world to just a few city blocks. Corina has never ventured beyond the boundaries she deems safe. She commutes to work at a publishing house within a newspaper company building, then to the nearby grocery store, and finally back home, always counting her steps.