The music, sense of place, acting and characters were compelling and wonderful, up until the time jump. The shift in actors was jarring and the "old" versions lacked the charm and energy of the original cast. In particular, the actress who played the "old" Lola, was a pastiche of mannerisms. It appears someone told her that "drug addicts" play with their mouths continually. Her constant touching of her lips and cheeks was distracting, and by all accounts had nothing to do with the real La Lupe, upon whom the character was supposed to be based. The "old" Pedro had the energy of a spent copper-top, running the emotional gamut from A to B. Seriously, this was essentially two novellas, jammed together any old way. Wonderful for the first half, and a slog of amateur hour performances for the second.
Review of Celia
