Valentín (2002/II)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Juan Luis Iborra

Writer:

Juan Luis Iborra (writer)

Release Date:

11 April 2003 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A Spanish theatre company is rehearsing Shakespeare in the original style using young men to play the women's roles...

Plot Keywords:

Jealousy | Theater Troupe | Gay Interest | Play Director | Shakespearean

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lluís Homar	...	Ricardo
Iñaki Font	...	Valentín
Armando del Río	...	Jaime
Elisa Matilla	...	Lola
Jorge Bosch	...	Albert
Alberto San Juan	...	Raúl
David Selvas	...	Ramón
Oriana Bonet	...	Ana
Miquel García Borda	...	Pepe
Lola Cardona	...	María
Roberto Álamo	...	Eusebio
Ana Pascual	...	Andrea
Mercè Pons	...	Laura
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Javier Álvarez	...	Himself
Jaroslav Bielski	...	Laureano

Runtime:

Spain:110 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG

Company:

Cuarteto Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.

Soundtrack:

Uno-dos-tres-cuatro

Pan-sexual Valentine

It is no coincidence that this film and its main character are "Valentine." The film's about love - between Valentine and a girl, a girl and a girl, a girl and a boy, a boy and a boy, and a boy (Valentine again) who makes another male, the Director of this theater troupe, fall in love with a man "for the first time." This Valentine is so seemingly irresistible, yet he comes off as anything but on screen.

If this sounds like a typical Spanish sex comedy of the past 15 years or so, you're right. It is indeed, though not one of the better ones, not even average unfortunately. And if the subject matter is not repetitive to you, just wait. In the role of the male Theater Director "turned" gay (by Valentine of course), you'll find a familiar face: Lluís Homar, in a somewhat similar role as his last, and best known one.

I mean, if you're drawn to this film, chances are good that you recently saw Almodovar's BAD EDUCATION, and may recognize the pedophile priest turned married family man turned gay older man. Well, here, Mr. Homar is merely an older ("straight") man turned gay by a youngster - Valentine in this case. Apparently, he's not concerned about being typecast. Or is that Mr. Homar's intention? A coincidence in a year and a half? At his age, and level of recognition attained, that might be a great career move. Roles of this type are certainly in ever greater demand.

I particularly mention this and insist on the matter because I, myself usually attracted by this type of film, found it difficult to concentrate on his character (arguably the second lead after the coveted Valentine himself), and thus on the film itself. Especially on the heels of his similar (though darker and perverse) turn in BAD EDUCATION. I also found it hard to find something original in this comedy, a plot with so many elements of recent sex comedies and dramas - so abundant in Latin HBO, and Latin-American Cinemax, in addition to distribution in theaters.

This film seems like a parody of recent Spanish comedies, but not an enjoyable one. So, even if you like this sort of movie, you may have a tough time getting through this one. It's all been done so much better and so many times before. And so recently, and still coming.