In Mexico, José, an aging divorcee, finds his ex-wife dead of an apparent suicide on the eve of Passover. Though she must be buried by 3 p.m. according to Jewish law, José refuses to do so without their only son present. And so Nora is kept on (dry) ice for five days.
As family and friends arrive to pay their respects and prepare for the funeral, Nora’s “will” is revealed. The will in this case is not a piece of paper, but rather her last wishes. Divorced from José for 20+ years, the family rarely sees one other. But Nora, who had been suicidal for years, planned her exit carefully to get everyone together for one more Passover dinner with her. Even if she’s not around to enjoy it.
“Nora’s Will” has a dry humor about it. There are gently comic scenes as José, an atheist himself, thumbs his nose at the religious rituals the rest of his family observes. And there’s a knowing recognition of the familial tension that comes from different belief systems. But even after José discovers a secret his ex-wife was hiding that no one else knew of, he makes a choice to give of himself and carry out her final wishes. The film ends with José’s wistful, silent affirmation of love.
“Nora’s Will” is currently playing at the Santikos Bijou.
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