La torre de Suso (2007)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Tom Fernández

Writer:

Tom Fernández (writer)

Release Date:

9 November 2007 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Cundo returns home after ten years' absence. The reason is the death of his best friend, Suso. Cundo's...

Plot Keywords:

Drug | Funeral | Overdose | Family Relationships | Friendship

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Javier Cámara	...	Cundo
Gonzalo de Castro	...	Fernando
César Vea	...	Mote
José Luis Alcobendas	...	Pablo
Malena Alterio	...	Marta
Emilio Gutiérrez Caba	...	Tino
Mariana Cordero	...	Mercedes
Fanny Gautier	...	Rosa
Alex Amaral	...	Miguel
Yalitza Hernández	...	Esmeralda (as Yanitza Hernández)
José Antonio Lobato	...	Fonso
Raquel Armesto	...	Alba
Víctor Clavijo
Teresa Lozano
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adriano Prieto	...	Encargado Carpintería

Runtime:

Spain:95 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB)

Filming Locations:

Asturias Airport, Asturias, Spain

Company:

Mediapro

Soundtrack:

Atrapado

Looking back without the rose colored glasses

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Spanish cinema has a different way to look at relationships; they pretty much slap you on the face with their approach. There is very little time to mop around and wonder what it could have been. Results are expected and reactions are provoked,usually with the delivery of an insult, strategically placed. Not to say that feelings are not taken into consideration, Spanish realism just has no time to waste in extended expositions or extra dialog. What we find in this film is many pitch perfect with every possible stereotype we can find in any family dramas, but each has been given an extra dash of color in order to highlight his or her faults.

As friends gather to honor the last request of one of their childhood group, we slowly learn that this is no ordinary town. Soon the protagonist learns how the rest of town feels about his sudden departure 10 years ago, and how they believe the death of Suso might be in more than one way related to his reckless past. There is plenty of resentment going around, and it is hard to dodge the bullets. In fact, changes happen when he allows his emotional core to be bruised.

"Suso's Tower" is a small film with plenty of aspirations. It succeeds in presenting an interesting slice of life in a very touching manner. The cast is more than adequate, with a simple Celtic-tinged score, and crystal clear depictions of the lovely countryside.