Santita Review: This Netflix Mexican drama series leans into romance, social commentary and character-driven storytelling that catches your heart from the first minute and runs with it. It’s an empathetic story of a woman coming to terms with her life’s circumstances and finding love after a tragedy. The series is intimate and bittersweet and gets under your skin.
Santita Netflix Cast
Paulina Dávila, Gael García Bernal, Ilse Salas, Erik Hayser, Álvaro Guerrero, Sally Quiñonez, Ana Layevska, Martín Altomaro, Cecilia Cañedo, Harding Junior
Santita Series Director
Rodrigo García
The series has 7 episodes, each with a runtime of around 35 minutes.
Santita Review
Plot & summary
María José Cano, or Santita, is a successful doctor whose perfect life turns upside down when she gets into an accident that leaves her with a disability. After leaving her fiancé at the altar, she has turned her life around, focusing on helping people and suffering from a gambling addiction.
However, two decades later, Alejandro unexpectedly returns to her life, forcing her to confront trauma and emotions that she thought she had buried. The reunion is complicated and is a layered exploration of regret, autonomy and the realities of love, which is more interesting than your typical rom-coms.
Performances
Paulina Dávila is quietly moving as Santita, embodying a protagonist who is neither a saint nor reduced by her disability. Her accident leaves her traumatised, bringing forth an infectious vulnerability that mixes strength with recklessness. She pairs vulnerability with defiance and leaves viewers rooting for her from start to finish.
Gael García Bernal becomes her perfect complement, who has his own trauma to unpack. His character is defined by longing and unresolved attachment. Their chemistry drives the series forward and adds the emotional weight to a story that explores what love looks like after some time has passed and two people have changed.
Themes & representation
The series handles its themes of disability with a lot of care and attention. Although Santita sometimes finds herself stuck because of it, it’s never brought her down. It’s neither inspirational nor tragic; it’s just a part of her life. The show dismantles stereotypes, and her life experiences make her a complex, flawed individual. Viewers witness the social stigma that is unfair and infuriating.
Meanwhile, Santita’s issues surrounding intimacy are another very important and layered topic of discussion. It also touches on the consequences of life-altering situations, and the grounded approach makes the show refreshingly honest, even in its uncomfortable moments.
Direction & writing
Santita is a realistic and grounded watch, thanks mostly to Garcia’s direction. The series keeps this uncomfortably close and personal, the pacing is deliberate, and the slow-burn approach helps viewers sit with their emotions. Although it can drag a bit sometimes, it is, ultimately, an introspective drama that explores romance, love and intimacy among exes when tragedy strikes. The writing, too, is well done and the dialogues are sharp, intimate and real. There’s no melodrama, and despite some familiar tropes, it does a great job of leaving an impression.
Final Verdict
Santita is a moving drama that is quiet and reflective. It demands patience, but it doesn’t leave viewers bored. It’s an emotional and thought-provoking experience that gets under your skin, especially in its vulnerable discussions surrounding morality and the consequences of life-altering situations.
What are your thoughts on Santita? Let us know in the comments below!
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