12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Love Triangle like no other..., August 10, 2004
I had the privilage of seeing "Jamon Jamon" in the theatre several years ago, thank you.
Anyway, "Jamon Jamon" (translation: Ham Ham) takes it's story straight from those overblown dramas of the 1980's like "Dynasty" or "Knot's Landing". The twist is just how far these characters will go to fulfill their "lustful" desires in spite of the consequences. Although every character in the film is dead serious, this is actually a comedy, and not a bad one at that. A sort of "Dallas goes Airplane" without the cheap gags.
To describe the plot without giving away too much is daunting, but here goes; A young man has gotten his girlfriend pregnant. His parents, who run a successful underwear business, dissaprove of their son marrying the daughter of a prostitute. So his mother hires one of the underwear models to seduce the girlfriend, but the mother falls for the underwear model.
With me so far, good. Here's where it gets complicated;
The young man (remember him?) is also having a dallience with the young girl's mother (the prostitute). Meanwhile, the underwear model manages to seduce the young girl, but is still bedding down with the mother (the underwear Mother). The young man has now become insanely jealous which leads to a confrontation with the underwear model. The father of the young man is about the only character with his head on straight, but even he gets involved in this mess.
The performances are first rate and the sex/nude scenes are plentiful. Perhaps the most outlandish is a bullfight with the matadors in the nude (definately something for the ladies...and perhaps a few guys as well).
Those interested in seeing what a young (19 years old at the time) Penelope Cruz looks like nearly naked will not be dissapointed. This film is definately not for the kids.
Overall, "Jamon Jamon" is a very well made comedy whose laughs come from the characters, not from any "jokes". I can certainly recommend it to those looking for a more "sophisticated" sex comedy. The type that American film makers have trouble pulling off...so to speak.
Trivia: The box cover depicts probably the most dramatic sex scene in the film. Problem is, the two people depicted are not the actors in the scene. Perhaps it's a rip on Romance novel book covers?
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23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Two words, Penelope Cruz, January 13, 2001
O.K. it may not be a five star movie, more like four but if you're a Penelope Cruz fan like me you'll love it. Seeing her half clothed body frequently throughout the movie makes you glad they invented rewind and pause controls on your antiquated vcr. Seriously though this is a very sexy and smart movie about two of the things most of us love most, food and sex. Spanish cinema has a certain flair for exploiting those issues most dear to us in the most unusual manner. The movie is very funny, more so if you understand Spanish culture, and the imagery used to convey the issues at hand are most visually dramatic. The story evolves primarily around the life of Jose Luis who is the wealthy son of a domineering mother whose family is in the underwear business. Not sexy yet? Enter Javier Barden("High Heels" and "Live Flesh)" as Raul, a novice bullfighter, underwear model and soon to hired lover to interfere with Jose Luis's love interest. He's a confident Spanish stud who takes no prisoners in his conquering of women. Still doesn't sound sexy? O.K., now for the best part of this movie, Penelope Cruz is Sylvia the pregnant girlfriend of Jose Luis and is the leading lady in this tale of twisted love triangles. The sexy Sylvia is torn and her future in-laws make her decision more difficult. Lots of unpredictable liasons develop that may be immoral but if taken as a satirical romp quite funny and entertaining as opposed to shocking. Some of the scenes are a riot like when the two machos sneak into a bull ranch late at night for a little clandestine bullfighting by the moonlight. The daring bravado of the two machos is illustrated so beautifully and the scene transition is just as wild as they run from their persuers.Without describing and ruining the scene suffice to say that the fact that two young men would go to such great lenghts to prove their macho is hilarious. It is scenes like this that make for memorable Spanish cinema with a quirky message hidden in celluloid reminiscent of Aldomovar. Very funny stuff worth the price of admission alone just to see a very young Penelope Cruz at her sexiest.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Very Spanish Movie, March 18, 2000
"Jamón, Jamón" is a kind of "souvenir" of spanish culture. Bigas Luna is fantastic - always - and Bardem in this movie is still an unknowed actor, at least for "americans viewers" or maybe "americans 'voyers'" (because his caracter is an almost sexual [freak] guy...)There is something surrealist in the movie, and this is what make it very spanish. After Garcia Lorca and other artists from the begining of the century, everything in Spain seems surrealist: things are not an easy "nonsense", but a different way to show the real world where the Moral does not exist, and Poetry and a very fine point of view are leaders. It's a five star movie for the ones who are interested in culture. Also, if you like the most famous Spain sons - Pedro Almodóvar and Joaquín Cortez - it's a nice excuse to know some of their "relatives" (olders and youngers)and to begin a "cultural spanish research" just for fun (and just for life)!
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