I saw this film for the first time last week and having lived in Madrid at one point, I found it to be a refreshing through-back to my time there. It really smacks of youth, brashness and the carefree attitude typical of teenagers in Madrid and probably in any urban sprawl, let's face it. The humour is delightful, quick-fire and naturally funny. It had me guffawing on more than one occasion. Maybe, one needs to have known kids like these to appreciate it the accents, the expressions, the machismo etc.
However, the ending was a kick in the face, to be honest. While a lurking violence permeated the film together with a seedy side only glimpsed briefly on occasion, such an extreme event brought a sense of overkill. I think the balance was lost the balance to show a good natured coming of age story about a few young lads and the harsh reality that is out there, just around the corner. I know some will say oh, he is just looking for a Hollywood ending, but really, based on the plot and character development, what does it gain from such a brutal finale?
However, the ending was a kick in the face, to be honest. While a lurking violence permeated the film together with a seedy side only glimpsed briefly on occasion, such an extreme event brought a sense of overkill. I think the balance was lost the balance to show a good natured coming of age story about a few young lads and the harsh reality that is out there, just around the corner. I know some will say oh, he is just looking for a Hollywood ending, but really, based on the plot and character development, what does it gain from such a brutal finale?