Torrente, el brazo tonto de la ley (1998)

José Luis Torrente, a former policeman fights against the oriental mafia in Madrid.

Director:

Santiago Segura

Writer:

Santiago Segura

Stars:

Santiago Segura, Javier Cámara, Neus Asensi

5 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Santiago Segura	...	José Luis Torrente
Javier Cámara	...	Rafi
Neus Asensi	...	Amparito
Chus Lampreave	...	Reme
Tony Leblanc	...	Felipe Torrente
Julio Sanjuán	...	Malaguita
Jimmy Barnatán	...	Toneti (as Jaime Barnatán)
Darío Paso	...	Bombilla
Carlos Perea	...	Carlitos
Manuel Manquiña	...	El Francés
Espartaco Santoni	...	Mendoza
Antonio de la Torre	...	Rodrigo
Javier Jurdao	...	Israel
Carlos Bardem	...	Cayetano
César Vea	...	Borja

Storyline

Torrente is a lazy, rude, drunkard, sexist, racist, extreme-right-wing Madrid cop; a despicable character who only cares about himself. He lives in a decrepit slum with his wheelchair-bound father, whom he treats quite badly. One day, a new family of neighbours move in, and the sexy younger daughter, Amparito, catches his eye, so he becomes a friend of Rafi, her nerdy brother, to get closer to her. At the same time, he discovers that a band of drug traffickers are operating in a nearby chinese restaurant; he knows that if he cracks this case, it could make him regain the status he lost within the police department; but the only people he can count on to help him are Rafi and his equally nerdy friends.

---

Plot Keywords:

police | parody | local blockbuster

---

Taglines:

Ahora que pensabas que el cine español empezaba a mejorar...

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime

---

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

13 March 1998 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Torrente, the Stupid Arm of the Law

Filming Locations:

Leganés, Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

€1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Creativos Asociados de Radio y Televisión (CARTEL), Rocabruno S.A., Vía Digital

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

José Luis Torrente: And i don't hit you because i know you like it!

---

Connections

Remade as Torrente

---

Soundtracks

"El torito guapo"
Written by El Fary (as José Luis Cantero)
Performed by El Fary

User Reviews

An absolute blast!

Jaw-droppingly hilarious from beginning to end, the brilliant Santiago Segura delivers one of the funniest films ever made about an unbelievably likable racist, homophobic, misogynistic, gloriously non-PC, ex-cop.

You really have to see it to truly appreciate its unique sense of lusty invention and bravura staging.

Segura's Torrente is a filthy, fat bastard who partners with an insufferable nerd to crack a drug smuggling operation. But the plot merely provides Segura with a framework for his non-stop barrage of brilliant gags and set pieces.

Torrente's attempt to seduce his nerd partner's slutty sister is hilarious, as are Torrente's off-the-cuff comments about all women wanting it up the rear and his lecture on how washing your hands before you take a leak shows greater respect for your penis.

There are so many gems in this movie it's impossible to catalog them all. Another corker, which occurs near the film's climax, has the kidnapped slut sister dropping to her knees to enthusiastically fellate her captor. When the nerd expresses concern that his sister is being "forced" to have oral sex, Torrente quips: "I don't think she's being forced too hard."

The sequel, while still very funny, doesn't have the rough, crude edge of the original.

Sublime!