Chronicles of a Wandering Saint

Tomás Gómez Bustillo’s dreamy rumination on faith, envy, and the nature of miracles is split in two by the technique, which is immediately preceded by a twist too devilishly clever to give away here. Consider it a statement of purpose, as well as a sign that, despite being a first-time filmmaker, Bustillo has the steady directorial hand of a seasoned veteran.

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As it nears the end of its theatrical release, Chronicles of a Wandering Saint is also available to rent online. There’s no wrong way to see it, though the soft glow of Pablo Lozano’s gauzy cinematography certainly benefits from the most expansive screen possible. The movie comes with an impressive pedigree that includes three Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best First Feature, as well as a delicate sensibility that might make you pay closer attention to the next blinking streetlight you see.

Not all who wander are lost, but Rita (portrayed by an excellent Mónica Villa) certainly is — spiritually if not physically. She helps clean her local church, often relegated to corners and back rooms while more attention-grabbing congregants, like a musical trio composed of similarly aged women, command attention and speak ill of her when they think she’s out of earshot. Envy is Rita’s deadly sin, and so she does what anyone in her position would do: stages a miracle in order to get attention.

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The idea is simple, if not especially well thought out. All she has to do is make it appear as though the statue of a saint she found is the genuine article, thus making Rita herself eligible for sainthood. Piety is a zero-sum competition for her, and nothing — not even her actual, deeply felt belief — is more important than those around her recognizing the depths of her devotion. She convinces her passive husband to go along with the scheme, which goes well until it doesn’t: “This isn’t a sign,” Rita’s priest says upon seeing the statue, “it’s a miracle.”

Not all who wander are lost, but Rita certainly is — spiritually if not physically.

There’s a stillness to such scenes that can be quietly thrilling, with the distant sound of nighttime crickets and muted light of table lamps drawing your attention so subtly you begin to feel like a moth being beckoned toward a flame. Bustillo rewards this attention, his artful aesthetic coming to feel like a warm blanket being pulled over you as you settle in for the night. It might sound like faint praise to say that Chronicles of a Wandering Saint is the kind of movie you could fall asleep to, especially as it holds your attention throughout, but there’s a soothing quality to it that verges on soporific.

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There’s humor too, as when Rita googles “How do I know if something is a miracle?” and the first result is “If you’re asking, then it’s definitely not a miracle.” The same logic could be applied to movies and whether or not they’re worth seeing. Luckily, you never have to ask with this one.