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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good if a bit confusing and conventional..., October 11, 2005
Mainly it's a pleasure to watch the three central characters, Javier Bardem, Victoria Abril, and Victor Lopez. Especially Victoria Abril, she is absolutely gorgeous and talented, I can't get enough of this luscious lady! The film though is indeed a bit gimmicky in its exploitative use of the whole sex-addiction issue (grazing over it without even attempting to shed any light on it) and the happy romantic ending feels a little pat. In between, there is simply too much happening, too many competing subplots and minor characters, and the lines of intersection are not always very clear or coherent. It does have some fine Almodovarian moments here and there, but all too few and far in between. Visually though it is a pleasure to watch, the film went by pretty quickly, I have to admit I was taken by its cinematographical beauty and style more than its (lack of) substance. Kind of wished there was more happenin' sex happening, despite the title there isn't that much of it by European film standards and not even all that much nudity either. You could say this film is kind of a tease in that respect. All in all, it was nevertheless far better than your average typical Hollywood multiplex crapola though.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Victoria Abril is fantastic this role, she definitely carries the film., April 3, 2006
You never know what you're going to expect when you watch this quirky Spanish flick. There are some obvious moments that are (Pedro) Almodavar and some are (Julio) Medem, which should come as no surprise as the actors in this show have worked with the above directors. Sex, suspense, comedy, drama - it's all here rolled into one. In its English title it sounds like a porno, in its camera-work it feels like a Hispanic melodrama, and in its soundtrack and direction its pure vintage Hitchcock, but this film is none of those things. It is a highly engaging and suspenseful thriller, which although borrowing much from the genre that it inhabits, stands on its own two feet as an oddly original piece of work. Although the film is all about sex it is neither erotic nor pornographic, but intelligently scripted and all of the sex scenes are visually mild. Instead, it is about the repercussions of sexual relationships, which is explored through the eyes of two "sex addicts" who meet in an anonymous therapy session. Their relationships with significant friends and family around them begin to break down in the face of their lust and love, and an overzealous spouse and an unfortunate murder leads them perfectly into fairly traditional thriller territory. The suspense is kept up throughout and I found myself glued to the set. There are plenty of little surprises to keep you entertained, and plenty of twists to keep you guessing. The cinematography is stunning---one of the most beautifully shot and constructed urban thrillers I've seen from any country. In terms of atmosphere, it's unforgettable the character in the rain, in the shadows of alleyways, the iridescent shimmering interiors (shot in some beautifully seedy Spanish settings). Javiar Bardem is great as usual and Victoria Abril was fantastic in her role, she definitely carries the film here. I highly recommend this.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bardem, Abril and Lopez are three good reasons to watch, August 1, 2004
'Entre Las Piernas' is being touted as a new release here in The States thanks to its recent re-release on DVD. This was, however, originally a 1998 release in Spain. The best thing 'Piernas' has going for it are its three stars: Javier Bardem, Victoria Abril, and my personal favorite, Sergi Lopez. Each of these three alone is worth the price of admission. That the three of them appear together make it a veritable bonanza for the intelligent film watcher. I suspect that the rising profiles of Lopez and Bardem had more than a little to do with the re-release. The plot is suspenseful and contains more than a few nice twists and some Almodovar-like character intersections (are these required features in any movie made in Spain, or what?). Do yourself a favor though and shy away from glancing at the IMDB.com page concerning the movie, where a cursory glance at the Cast Overview essentially gives away the capper twist. Plus, being a dog lover, you gotta love any movie that features a Westie. Good boy, Domingo!
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