Two Cantabrian dairy farmers have a longstanding disagreement over a debt one owes to the other. Juan Diego plays Gildo, who owes Severo (Celso Bugallo) and tries to pay him off with a calf from his beautiful milk cow Vanessa, which is brought over to his farm by his older daughter Val (Marta Etura). However, in the current economic situation, calves aren't worth what they used to be, so Severo kidnaps Val for ransom, tying up her hands and locking her in his barn after he drags her through the mud. This must be the old fashioned way to settle debts. Gildo has to rescue Val from Severo, and Severo gets killed, bringing in the police. He tells Val to dress up and sends her and her younger sister Genia (spicy Clara Lago) off to a dance in town where he knows that Rai (Luis Tosar), Severo's son who is a hairdresser and has long since left the rural way of life, will be, hoping that Val will seduce him and thus remove any suspicion the police might have about who killed Severo. It's a clever story to follow, though I found the ending to be frustrating, as everyone in the town who was at Severo's funeral knew that he had it coming, and so does the viewer. Nonetheless, Gildo's story and character make this more than worthwhile to see, as well as the great settings.
Review of La vida que te espera
