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Mònica López,
Eduard Fernández,
María Pujalte,
more...
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Cesc Gay
see all cast/crew...
: Wolfe Video
: Drama, Foreign, Romantic Comedy, Spain
: 110 min.
: Spanish
: English
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A web of romantic entanglements covers a growing circle of friends in this romantic comedy drama from Spain. Tomás (Alex Brendemühl) is a college instructor who has been secretly dating one of his students, Ana (Miranda Makaroff). Making the matter more complicated is the fact that Ana's uncle is Mario (Eduard Fernández), one of Tomás' best friends. Mario has long been involved with Sara (Vicenta N'dongo), but he has reason to believe she is having an affair, and he's desperate to hold on to her. At the same time, Mario has met Cristina, and is trying to fight his interest in her. Irene (Mònica López) and Manu (Chisco Amado) are another seemingly happy couple fighting infidelity when she begins having second thoughts about their relationship. And Andres has fallen for Sofia (María Pujalte), a clerk at his favorite bookstore, but he learns she's still pining for Eric, who talked her into bed one night but has yet to come back to her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| The Bigger Picture, for a Change
by talltale
May 9, 2005 - 7:05 AM PDT
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1 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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What IN THE CITY possesses, more than almost any ensemble film I have seen, is a growing sense of sadness at the result of us modern, urban human beings' predilection toward infidelity. Expertly directed and co-written by Spanish filmmaker Cesc Gay, this movie is much less romantic and fluffy than most ensemble pieces. There are few laughs, yet the film is never for a moment uninteresting as it tracks the lives of a group of friends (and their friends/lovers).
It will take some time for the viewer to come clear as to the various relationships among these more than dozen people. Once you do, the movie exerts a pull that is surprisingly strong. One of the great strengths of the film is that it looks calmly but directly at these people, and while it is not judgmental, it also lets no one off the hook in terms of his or her behavior. Consequently, it is sometimes quietly shocking--upsetting in away that few films manage by showing so clearly the results of behavior that may seem quite normal to the person indulging in it. (The Sofia character excels at this!)
Shown here, with the intelligence, tact and distance of a fine moviemaker, the viewer is given the "whole," or at least the "larger" picture. It's a sad sight--but one well worth viewing and thinking about. The details are often stunning, too--including the curtain call for a theatre piece that looks so original you rather wish you'd been there to see the entire play.
Among the excellent cast, Eduard Ferandez stands out powerfully as the cuckolded, repressed husband. But then, everyone is terrific here, including the lovely Leonor Watling (of Almodovar's "Talk to Her"). This film, an original in a rather crowded genre, ought to become "must" viewing for urban 30-somethings. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.50)
6 Votes
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