Overview
A film crew's quest for authenticity leads to unexpected conflict in Bolivia.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- politically urgent
- self questioning
- compassionate
- political cinema night
- world cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's politically urgent premise, performances, direction, and emotional connection between colonial history and Bolivia's water crisis, while noting concerns about its own potential exploitation and some limits in character development.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The crew films Columbus-era conquest while confronting a modern water privatization uprising that echoes the colonial struggle.
The low-budget historical production hires local people cheaply while depicting Spanish exploitation of Indigenous communities.
The Cochabamba conflict erupts over privatization of the local water supply and becomes the film's immediate social crisis.
Producer Costa's priorities are challenged as the local actor Daniel becomes a leading activist in the protest movement.
Films like Even the Rain, and why
The Mission
shared historical drama, political protest, and layered critique of colonial power
The Official Story
shared social realism, institutional injustice, and emotionally grounded political conflict
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
shared filmmaking-as-subject structure, ethical self-questioning, and documentary-like political urgency
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
shared anti-colonial themes, historical reenactment, and conflict between personal ethics and exploitative systems
Movie Details
- Director
- Icíar Bollaín
- Release Date
- 2011-01-05
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (301)
Cast
- Luis Tosar
- Gael García Bernal
- Juan Carlos Aduviri
- Karra Elejalde
- Raúl Arévalo
- Cassandra Ciangherotti
- Carlos Santos
- Milena Soliz
- Leónidas Chiri
- Ezequiel Díaz
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Even the Rain about?
- A Spanish film crew reenacting colonial conquest in Bolivia is forced to confront the modern exploitation unfolding around its own production.
- What is Even the Rain like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Even the Rain as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Even the Rain violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Even the Rain as moderate.
- What did critics think of Even the Rain?
- Critics broadly praised the film's politically urgent premise, performances, direction, and emotional connection between colonial history and Bolivia's water crisis, while noting concerns about its own potential exploitation and some limits in character development.
- Which films are like Even the Rain?
- Films with a similar feel include The Mission, The Official Story, The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, and Aguirre, the Wrath of God.
- How long is Even the Rain?
- Even the Rain runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch Even the Rain?
- In United States, Even the Rain streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
