El Factor Pilgrim (2000)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Directors:

Santi Amodeo
Alberto Rodríguez

Writers:

Santi Amodeo (writer)
Alberto Rodríguez (writer)

Release Date:

2 February 2001 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot:

Once upon a time... There were four young men of different nationalities: Spanish, Italian, Swedish and British...

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Alex O'Dogherty	...	Francisco
Enrico Vecchi	...	Giuseppe
Jons Pappila	...	Ambar Pool
Simon Edwards	...	Bruce
Howard Nightingall	...	Julius McDoom
Paul Rattee	...	Paul Simon
Kevin Brock	...	David Pilgrim
Jane Paul	...	Rita Pilgrim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Simon Joslin	...	Ejecutivo en el WC
Milagros Martinez	...	Madre de Bruce
Noel White	...	Ejecutivo en el WC

Also Known As:

The Pilgrim Factor (International: English title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Huelva, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

ASA Filmed Productions

Soundtrack:

La verdad está en inglés

Off-beat film that works

This is one strange film, on many levels. Initially, there is the situation of a Spaniard living in London, muddling his way through by buying and selling junk. He is friends with an Italian, with whom he speaks in Spanish, but rents with an Englishman (his 'business' partner). Next door there lives a Swede who seems permanently high and paints everything orange. Most of the action revolves around the purchase, sale, recovery (etc) of a box and a photograph which are also being desperately chased by another couple of businessmen for reasons that are unclear for much of the movie, and which I will not go into now. Suffice to say that much of the action becomes clearer as the plot progresses.

The narration is in rapid Spanish, while the dialogue is in both Spanish and English, depending on who is speaking to whom. I wouldn't say that the acting was uniformly first class, but was good enough for this kind of comic caper. The soundtrack was modern, with plenty of songs to move to.

There are a few signs of budgetary constraints, but viewing the film as a whole, with its energy and inventiveness, the filmmakers have stretched their Euros pretty well. It's a good example of what can be done with a few original ideas and the cojones to follow them through.