Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Guillermo Toledo | ... | Rafael González | |
Mónica Cervera | ... | Lourdes | |
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Luis Varela | ... | Don Antonio Fraguas |
Enrique Villén | ... | Comisario Campoy | |
Fernando Tejero | ... | Alonso | |
Javier Gutiérrez | ... | Jaime | |
Kira Miró | ... | Roxanne | |
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Rosario Pardo | ... | Señora despistada |
Gracia Olayo | ... | Concha | |
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José Alias | ... | Matías |
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Penélope Velasco | ... | Susana |
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Montse Mostaza | ... | Helena (as Montserrat Mostaza) |
Eduardo Gómez | ... | Taxista | |
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Enrique Martínez | ... | Pepón |
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Alicia Andújar | ... | Desiree |
An impending much-sought-after promotion at Yeyo's shopping mall in Madrid has created quite a stir, as a new floor supervisor needs to be chosen between Don Antonio, the helpful, experienced, yet, stern and gloomy head of the men's department and Rafael, the seductive, highly skilled salesman and head of the women's department. Without a doubt, competition is hard when there's only room for one, however, when the suave and sophisticated Rafael loses out to his inelegant arch nemesis, he will find himself in a very tight spot when during an argument, he will accidentally kill Don Antonio. Obviously, with him as a prime suspect, handsome Rafael is in dire straits and desperate as he is, he will inevitably accept help from Lourdes, the department's ugly duckling who unfortunately knows all about his misfortune, nevertheless, not without a cost. With his life literally in Lourdes' hands, blackmailed into her preposterous demands, there is only one way out and Rafael will need to stain ... Written by Nick Riganas
After his latest experiment with new genres (no less than a western) with "800 balas", Álex de la Iglesia goes back to his habitual black comedies and proves he is still in top form. "Crimen ferpecto" is probably his most accomplished film so far, and surely the funniest.
Looking back at his oeuvre, there are very good films ("La comunidad" is still his best) but also average ones ("Muertos de risa" had its edge, but was pointless). "Crimen ferpecto" is the deserving follow-up to "La Comunidad", after the failure of "800 balas", and keeps showing the evolution of the director/writer towards creative maturity.
Guillermo Toledo plays Rafael, de la Iglesia's best leading male character so far. He is at his best playing this womanizer in trouble, elegant, seductive and utterly charming. He is accompanied by Mónica Cervera, who will certainly break through in this film after his impressive turn as a retarded young woman in "Piedras". She plays the wicked witch of the men's department, ugly, manipulative, evil but yet a character one can sympathize with.
The high point of this comedy is certainly the part in which the couple visits the girl's family (Gracia Olayo is brilliant in a bit part as Lourdes' mother), the audience could hardly stop laughing. The rest of the footage combines lighter comedy, dark comedy, thriller and even a little share of action.
It's a shame, however, that I could not be pleased by the ending. It's difficult to find a satisfying ending when one has sympathized with both Rafael and Lourdes, who both have played the roles of "good" and "bad" in turns. Eventually both of them get what they deserve, but is life really like that? I expected an edgier ending, but still appreciated "Crimen ferpecto" as one of the best comedies of the year.
Overall rating: 8/10