Viver Mal (Living Bad)

Companion films, or two works shot simultaneously that are intended to complement each other, are often less an artistic endeavour than an attempt to cash in on unexpected box office success (see Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, assembled from outtakes and alternative scenes from the original Anchorman). Undoubtedly intended as an artistic endeavour, Viver Mal exists as an inverse to Mal Viver, and while the original (screening in Berlinale’s main competition) observes the women who run a small boutique hotel, the companion (screening in the festival’s Panorama sidebar) introduces the guests. This angle is a tiny bit dull.

If the emotional impact of the original Mal Viver was too subdued, this is remedied (slightly) in Viver Mal. The segmented layout of the film (each of the three chapters gets its own title card) creates a quick intimacy with the characters, all of whom are experiencing a fracturing (or shattering) of their personal relationships. The most potent instalment is wisely saved for last, and this is a greatly affecting impasse between two girlfriends whose relationship is circling the drain, largely due to the influence of one of their mothers. It all looks very elegant, tastefully shot, with a luminously subdued colour palette. So why does it feel more than a bit pointless?

Technically Viver Mal is the second part of the story, although the viewing order of director João Canijo’s films is fairly irrelevant. Mal Viver is a serviceable, engaging feature that borders on dense, and it exists in its own right – an existence that’s fortified by its companion piece. Viver Mal can’t quite be described in the same terms. It tends to feel like the supporting act, adding colour and contrast to the original without offering much as a standalone work. The overall effect is one of indifference. Quite why this aimless companion piece exists is a question that remains unanswered by watching it.

Oliver Johnston

Viver Mal (Living Bad) does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2023 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for Viver Mal (Living Bad) here: