Maldeamores (2007)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Directors:

Carlitos Ruiz Ruiz
Mariem Pérez Riera (co-director)

Writers:

Jorge Gonzales (writer)
Carlitos Ruiz Ruiz (writer)

Release Date:

September 2007 (Puerto Rico)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A three-part look at the ironies of love, with stories that involve a young boy, a hostage situation, and a divorced elderly couple caught in a love triangle. |

Awards:

5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Luis Guzmán	...	Ismael
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marisé Alvarez	...	Neyshalí
Miguel Ángel Álvarez	...	Pellín
Silvia Brito	...	Flora
Yaraní del Valle	...	Luisa
Ednali Figueroa	...	Tati
Luis Gonzaga	...	Miguel
Teresa Hernández	...	Lourdes
Chavito Marrero	...	Cirilo
Dolores Pedro	...	Marta
Carlitos Ruiz Ruiz	...	Guy arguing on car
Norman Santiago	...	Macho
Fernando Tarrazo	...	Ismaelito

Also Known As:

Lovesickness (USA) (festival title)
Maladies of Love (USA) (literal English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and a violent situation.

Country:

Puerto Rico | USA

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Company:

Buena Onda

Trivia:

Puerto Rico's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008).

Fantastic from start to finish.

What we may well be witnessing here, is the first Puerto Rican film that is being hailed by critics across the United States, and 'to top it all of', the film is also very entertaining and surprisingly funny; not bad for a first time director/writer. Maldeamores is an incredibly funny film that deals with an universal feeling that is as complicated and as mysterious as the human beings who deal with it: love. Much like Inarritu's Amores Perros, the film delves in three different stories that revolve around vibrant characters in realistic settings. Unlike Inarritu's films, these stories never collide with one another, except it's main message. The script is very clever and very well written, always entertaining and fresh. The acting is top-notch. Every cast member is outstanding in this one, especially Miguel Angel, Chavito Marrerro and Silvia Brito. The cinematography and music are also excellent. Overall, this is a must see film. It is a damn shame that it wasn't nominated by the Academy for best Foreign Film of 2007, but the Academy make lousy decisions anyways. A fantastic film, a 9/10.