Winner of a pair of Spain's Goya awards, ''Lovers'' shows up in the United States as a sultry, sexy tale of seduction, corruption, and murder, and its commercial prospects lie in its appeal as an Iberian noirish thriller. Its period setting -- Franco Spain in the mid-1950s -- and ''based on a true story'' genesis, lend the film a political cast as well, but that slant might remain an oblique one for American audiences.
A traditional triangle lies at the core of the action: Paco (Jorge Sanz), a country boy, has just finished his military service and is looking for the job that will enable him to marry his sweetheart, Trini (Maribel Verdu), the maidservant of his former commander. Paco happens to rent a room in the apartment of a young widow, Luisa Victoria Abril), who wastes little time in bedding down the good-looking, but naive youth.
Luisa practices particularly uninhibited sex (she finds a very unusual place to stow handkerchiefs, for example), and before long Paco is utterly dominated by her. While Luisa involves Paco in the gang of con artists she works with, Trini realizes something is up and, on the advice of her proper mistress, proceeds to seduce Paco herself. However, Trini's demure behavior is no match for Luisa's practiced ways, and before long, Paco has reluctantly agreed with Luisa to con Trini, steal her life savings, and murder her, all to get Luisa out of a jam with her confederates.
The lack of Paco and Luisa's internal morality is clearly supposed to mirror the general social corruption around them, according to director Vicente Aranda, but this thesis is pursued through indirection and to American audiences, who are usually perfectly content to contemplate degenerate behavior, the pair are likely to come across as just a pair of bad eggs. Aranda, who frontloads the very frank sex scenes, favors languid rhythms and extended long shots; these serve to capture the surrounding environment as the picture goes on, but what Arada sees as a critical portrait may play here as mere pictorialism.
However, Abril gives a trademark star turn, elicting as many fiery emotions from her co-stars as she projects herself, and Sanz and Verdu are attractive presences. The characters and decor are lit to rich tonal effects, and the lush cinematography has a sensual appeal all its own.
LOVERS (AMANTES)
An Aries Film Release
Director Vicente Aranda
Producer Pedro Costa-Muste
Screenplay Alvaro Del Amo, Carlos Perez Merinero, Vicente Aranda
Director of photography Jose Luis Alcaine
Art director Josep Rosell
Music Jose Nieto
Editor Teresa Font
Color
Cast:
Luisa Victoria Abril
Paco Jorge Sanz
Trini Maribel Verdu
Running time -- 103 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
A traditional triangle lies at the core of the action: Paco (Jorge Sanz), a country boy, has just finished his military service and is looking for the job that will enable him to marry his sweetheart, Trini (Maribel Verdu), the maidservant of his former commander. Paco happens to rent a room in the apartment of a young widow, Luisa Victoria Abril), who wastes little time in bedding down the good-looking, but naive youth.
Luisa practices particularly uninhibited sex (she finds a very unusual place to stow handkerchiefs, for example), and before long Paco is utterly dominated by her. While Luisa involves Paco in the gang of con artists she works with, Trini realizes something is up and, on the advice of her proper mistress, proceeds to seduce Paco herself. However, Trini's demure behavior is no match for Luisa's practiced ways, and before long, Paco has reluctantly agreed with Luisa to con Trini, steal her life savings, and murder her, all to get Luisa out of a jam with her confederates.
The lack of Paco and Luisa's internal morality is clearly supposed to mirror the general social corruption around them, according to director Vicente Aranda, but this thesis is pursued through indirection and to American audiences, who are usually perfectly content to contemplate degenerate behavior, the pair are likely to come across as just a pair of bad eggs. Aranda, who frontloads the very frank sex scenes, favors languid rhythms and extended long shots; these serve to capture the surrounding environment as the picture goes on, but what Arada sees as a critical portrait may play here as mere pictorialism.
However, Abril gives a trademark star turn, elicting as many fiery emotions from her co-stars as she projects herself, and Sanz and Verdu are attractive presences. The characters and decor are lit to rich tonal effects, and the lush cinematography has a sensual appeal all its own.
LOVERS (AMANTES)
An Aries Film Release
Director Vicente Aranda
Producer Pedro Costa-Muste
Screenplay Alvaro Del Amo, Carlos Perez Merinero, Vicente Aranda
Director of photography Jose Luis Alcaine
Art director Josep Rosell
Music Jose Nieto
Editor Teresa Font
Color
Cast:
Luisa Victoria Abril
Paco Jorge Sanz
Trini Maribel Verdu
Running time -- 103 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 3/27/1992
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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