Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)You might be interested in this Spanish/Argentine film because of the inclusion of Gael Garcia Bernal of 'Motorcycle Diaries' and other superb Latino-American films. Yes, he is in it, but what is more impressive is the outstanding acting from Cecilia Ross, the star of 'All About My Mother' (and the wife of Fito Paez, director of 'Vidas Privadas' aka 'Private Lives'). She gives another strong acting as the heroine of this very unconventional story.
Cecilia Ross is middle-aged Carmen, visiting her ailing father in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Carmen is now living in Madrid, apart from the rest of her family, but as the film's story unfolds, we realize that she often looks restless and uneasy even though she is back home.
But Carmen has a more peculiar habit. Every night, alone in a dark room, she listens to the sounds of the young couple making love in the next room. And she is not eavesdropping or spying; she doesn't even know their faces, for she in fact hires the 'lovers' (including a handsome model played by Gael Garcia Bernal). But why does she have to do that?
The melodramatic story follows the fates of Carmen and the young model who are both attacted to each other through their voices, and the film does not crave for credibility, giving emphasis upon the emotional turmoil of the unlikely couple, so if you say the plot is impossible, no one can blame you for that. But those who laugh at this apparently incredible chain of events, or who wince at intentionally (I think) exaggerated sound effects of piano and strings, would miss the film's point.
For as the previous reviewer says, to understand the film we need to keep in mind that the film's nature is akin to that of Greek tragedy, in which we mortals are all frail and erring. And behind these all-too-human characters you see the ghost of the atrocious dictatorship in Argentina, which started in the late 70s. Now it is gone, for good I hope, but it can still torment those who are involved, whether as the oppressors or the oppressed.
Though the film's cast give unanimously good acting, it is Cecilia Ross who is most impressive, at times literally dedicating herself to be the character. And the fans of Gael Garcia Bernal would not be disappointed, whose character plays the crutial role in the latter half of the film. Just wait a while, and you will see his good performance.
A similar theme (about the sad history of Argentina) was taken up in 'Imagining Argentina' starring Emma Thompson and Antonio Banderas. I didn't think it was good, but well, just in case you're interested.
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