The Last Bath review – self-mortifying nun struggles with profoundly uneasy sexual awakening

As I watched Anabela Moreira’s intense portrayal of Josefina in “The Last Bath”, a Portuguese drama that has finally made its way to UK screens, I couldn’t help but think about the fraught dynamics at play. At its core, this is a story about two people stuck together by circumstance: a middle-aged nun and her teenage nephew, forced into an uneasy intimacy as they navigate the aftermath of tragedy.

The film’s setting – a rural Portuguese village where tradition and faith hold sway – only adds to the sense of claustrophobia that pervades Josefina’s world. She is a woman deeply ingrained in the Church, yet also one who has been tasked with caring for her nephew Alexandre after his father’s passing. As she struggles to connect with him, we are reminded that even the most well-intentioned relationships can be suffocated by the weight of expectation and duty.

Moreira conveys Josefina’s inner turmoil through subtle expressions and body language, revealing a woman who has dedicated her life to self-denial but is slowly unraveling under the pressure of responsibility for this young boy. The boundaries between caregiver and child begin to blur, leaving us wondering about the true nature of their relationship: is it one of love or merely an uncomfortable proximity born of circumstance?

The film raises important questions about how societal expectations warp our relationships with others. In Josefina’s case, her desire to do good and care for those around her has led her down a path that is both admirable and problematic. As we watch her struggle to navigate the complexities of caregiving, we are forced to confront our own biases about what it means to love and be loved in return.

“The Last Bath” feels like a cousin to other films that have explored tensions between family relationships and societal norms, such as Ingmar Bergman’s “Autumn Sonata”. Moreira’s performance is a modern iteration of those same themes – one that feels both timeless and eerily relevant to our own times. Her portrayal of Josefina’s inner turmoil is a masterclass in subtlety, conveying the complex emotions that arise when two people are bound together by duty rather than desire.

This film speaks to broader cultural anxieties around family and caregiving, particularly in an era where traditional notions of family are being redefined. “The Last Bath” offers a powerful reminder that even the most well-intentioned relationships can be fraught with tension and unrequited desire.

Ultimately, this is a story about the human condition – one that reminds us our relationships with others are always complex, multifaceted things. As we watch Josefina struggle to navigate her feelings for Alexandre, we are forced to confront our own desires and limitations as caregivers, partners, and family members. The film’s exploration of these themes will linger long after the credits roll.