Inconscientes

Joaquín Oristrell abandons his usual contemporary urban comedies to write and direct this delightful period comedy that takes place in Barcelona in the early 20th century. With the beginnings of psychoanalysis as a leit-motiv and background, brother and sister-in-law Salvador and Alma get involved in a charming quest for the truth.

Leonor Watling is simply outstanding as nine-months pregnant Alma, a neurotic yet lovable character that lets Watling show her great skill as a comedienne. In his first truly comedic role, Luis Tosar passes the test and confirms himself as one of our greatest actors. The couple show a great chemistry together, almost a rarity in most films today.

Joaquín Oristrell is to be praised for his directorial work, since he's been getting better with each film since his debut with the average "De qué se ríen las mujeres". With "Inconscientes" he has a achieved an entertaining, technically perfect and engaging film.

Overall rating: 8/10

When Freud is going to visit Spain, the most known psychiatric doctor disappears and his wife and his brother-in-law start a research in his last cases in order to discover what has happened to him. With a tendency to absurd all the cases presents us a group of crazy people obsessed with something: sex. The research will continue as they both discover things about themselves that they didn't know, all mixed with great and funny jokes and a delicious script that makes the spectator to enjoy himself during all the time of the film. In addition to being funny, actors are very good and they make great parts. This is a great comedy, ideal to laugh a lot as we think about our taboos in our lives; unluckily, this great film has passed by totally undiscovered for most of the Spanish people and it has not had the success it deserves. I highly recommend to see it in order to spend a great, funny time.

I saw this at Sundance and enjoyed it very much. It is a clever farce involving physical comedy as well as satire. The main target of the movie appears to be Freud, but there are other psychoanalysis jokes as well. For me, the performances of Luis Tosar and Leonor Watling made the movie sparkle. The two of them have chemistry that transcends language. The dialog was fast paced and the script was smart and crisp. The two leads find themselves in increasingly goofy situations until the final climax where the mystery is solved. I think that this was the best of the 12 films I saw at Sundance this year, and I am hoping that the DVD comes out soon so I can see it again! (This is not a movie for kids; perhaps older teens will enjoy it. It is in Spanish with subtitles, so those who do not like to read subtitles be warned)

I've just seen "Unconscious" on DVD. Wonderful! I picked it up at the video store just by chance, and I am gratefully surprised. The look is awesome and the story catches you up to the end. The modernist settings in Barcelona are so beautiful, and so the movie has an original look.

The sound, though, was not very good. In part because of the actors (many of them, the young ones, don't vocalize and it gets hard to understand their speeches) or maybe t'was the copy. Don't know.

The only thing I dind't like was the obvious and tiring sex references during all the movie. It's supposed to be 1913, I don't think people would talk about this stuff so naturally in those days in Spain.

Anyhow, very good story, funny gags, a nice look, and suggestive music. Eigth out of ten, to me.

I normally reserve 10 out of 10 to films that really mark me. Films that make one think or learn something new. Yet I think this film deserves a 10 for being an excellent comedy, excellent script and having excellent dialogs. Rarely have I seen such a well rounded film. It lacks nothing and delivers much.

I loved the main female character "Alma" and she sweeps us into the story with her unlikely companion, a very stiff and uptight brother in law. One also gets a feel for the time period when many new theories and thinkers were coming of age... of the new revolutions to be, conservative Spain and sexuality of the period. Even if in a comic way.

I highly recommend this film. Have a good laugh at psychology, passion and self analysis.