7/10
This moving and exciting Spanish/Mexican film results to be a violent thriller with star-studded cast
14 October 2020
Thrilling and sleazy fim with plenty of murders , sex and violence . It deals with Gloria Duque (Victoria Abril) an extremely alcoholic woman , she is about 30 years old , exiled in Mexico and living of protitution . Escaping from mobsters (Federico Luppi , Daniel Jiménez Cacho) attempting to kill her, she abandons Mexico and returns at mother-in-law's (Pilar Bardem) home where her husband stands on bed in coma condition, being paralyzed due to a "Cogida" , horned by a Bull on the bullfighting arena . There Gloria attempts to find work and earn some money but things go wrong .

This is a violent and stirring but overlong thriller with a phenomenal cast formed by great Spanish , Mexican and Argetinean actors . Victoria Abril gives a good acting as the unfortunate drunk woman who becomes involved in problems, as Mexico as Madrid , being mercilessly pursued by two nasty gangsters well starred by Federico Luppi and Daniel Jiménez Cacho , both of whom provide adequate performances . And outstanding Pilar Bardem as the old communist militant delivering a great creation as the elderly woman who teaches children and Gloria in writing sentences as well as caring her paralyzed son . Other notorious secondaries appearing in brief acting are the following ones : Saturnino García, Antonio Dechent, Maria Asquerino , Angel Alcázar, Fernando Delgado, Bruno Bichir , Laura Maña , Ramon Langa , Damien Bichir, among others .

It packs a colorful and brilliant cinematography by Paco Famenia. As well as atmospheric and appropriate musical score by Bernardo Bonezzi who before his early death , he composed some Pedro Almodovar films . The picture was well written and directed by Agustín Dias Yanes in his film debut . He firstly was a prestigious screenwriter for prestigious filmmakers in important movies . As he wrote the three previous films starred by Victoria Abril, and the latter convinced him to direct this his first film . As thanks to his reputation as a writer and the support of Victoria Abril he was to set up his first movie as a filmmaker this "Nobody will speak of us when we are dead" that became the biggest success of Spanish cinema at its release in 1995 and awarded in Festival San Sebastián, including best actress Victoria Abril, and it won 8 Goyas Awards from the Spanish Academy , including best film, best New director, and best actress. In spite of the hit of his first film, Díaz Yanes spent a few years attempting to make a new movie . Finally , he will get to make "Sin noticias de Dios" , here he got a feature together the two most international Spanish actresses : Penelope Cruz and Victoria Abril , it is a fantasy comedy that received 11 Nominations for the Spanish Academy Awards . in 2008 Agustín made another thriller "Solo quiero caminar" again Victoria Abril along with Diego Luna, Ariadna Gil and Pilar López Ayala . And in 2006 he shot the successful and lavishly made "Capitan Alatriste" , a nice adaptation based on the bestseller written by Arturo Pérez Reverte . Subsequently , he made a South American epic about the Spanish conquerors titled "Oro" or Gold. Rating : 6.5/7 . Aboge average . The picture will appeal to Spanish cinema aficionados .
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