It is not merely a story of forgiveness, nor does it imply that understanding someone’s flaws makes their actions acceptable. It acknowledges that love can coexist with anger.

We’re often force-fed bromides about how art and life can nourish each other; it’s bracing to be reminded that they can poison each other, too.

Rodrigo Sorogoyen serves up one of the most combustible pairings at Cannes ’26: Bardem and Luengo, both giving awards-worthy performances, look as if they might start a war just by sharing a scene.

The Beloved is a well-acted and thematically interesting look at how the artistic process can erode our inner morality, but it is ultimately too much of a slow-burn and rather cold-hearted in nature for it to land as much as it wants to.