Barrio (1998)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Writer:

Fernando León de Aranoa (writer)

Release Date:

2 October 1998 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Brother Brother Relationship | Pizza Delivery Boy | Summer Job | Teenage Boy | Father Son Relationship

Awards:

11 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Críspulo Cabezas	...	Rai
Timy Benito	...	Javi (as Timy)
Eloi Yebra	...	Manu
Marieta Orozco	...	Susi, Javi's sister
Alicia Sánchez	...	Carmen, madre de Javi
Enrique Villén	...	Ricardo, Javi's father
Francisco Algora	...	Ángel, Manu's father
Chete Lera	...	Inspector de policía
Claude Pascadel	...	Antonio, Javi's grandfather
Pedro Miguel Martínez	...	Neighbor
Daniel Guzmán	...	Chico bar de copas
Lluvia Rojo	...	Chica bar de copas
Nicolas Abraham	...	Carlos, Rai's brother
Concha Gómez Conde	...	Ana, Rai's mother
Pepo Oliva	...	Ignacio, padre de Rai

Runtime:

94 min | France:100 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:U | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.

Movie Connections:

References "Baywatch" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Douha Alia

Nice portrait of low-medium Spanish class with a great black humour

Barrio is a great portrait of the low-middle class in Madrid. It shows you the life of 3 teenagers sick of their way of living and dealing with all the issues it brings.

These kids have to deal with their problems, their parent's, their hormones, the lack of money, unemployment, trying not to get into the drug world... Trying to make their way out of it and it's here when a brilliant black sense of humour comes and it's delivered in the movie over and over. The story of the delivery pizza boy, among others, is surreal, funny and brutal if you think a bit about it. Is due to this scenarios full humour that you can watch the movie without feel depressed. Don't look here for nice views of Madrid cause there aren't. It's the underground that semi dark face of the city nobody want to see.

In resume: Is a great portrait of the low-medium Spanish class with a great sense of black humour.

The end is bitter, it's true but probably because you can watch the film so easily even laugh although is not a light subject at all, the end reminds you exactly that, that it's hard, is not easy and is a serious matter. It could have left and open ending, that's true too.

Acting is great. You could even think that the guys are for real and the director is filming their real life.

I like Fernando León de Aranoa. I liked "Familia" and "Los Lunes al sol" and that's not an exception. All of his films portrays the issues that the medium class people in Spain has to deal with. Is probably the Spanish Ken Loach.

Watch this movie if you haven't watched yet. I still thinking is one of the best Spanish movies of the last 20 years. 8/10