Manolete

Manolete fascinated me from the very beginning with a fantastic score and once I saw Adrien Brody I knew the movie would be good. This actor somehow never disappoints and here he hadn't either; in fact I can easily shout out to all of the actors who made their characters into living human beings. The story of a bull fighter called Manolete is told in the very eyes of Adrien Brody who, even when he's not speaking, gives more to the viewer than perhaps the director himself had intended to. In his sad eyes there's great sorrow and even greater love for a woman who he cannot give up but also cannot take in as his whole heart and soul is in the thing he does for a living and he doesn't imagine his life without it. There comes a time in everyone's lives when we have to choose what's more important to us - career or family and Manolete has made his choice long before he met Lupe, played stupendiously by Penelope Cruz. I wouldn't call this movie a great one though as it lacks proper pacing, has at times bad editing and continuation failures, some scenes are extremely long whereas others don't give enough and this contrast leads the movie to the end and leaves you with mixed emotions because the story itself, although as old as the world, is told from an unusual angle and is dramatically perfect but the way it was shown was far from it.

Nice costumes and great actors do not make a movie great. A good story does. Too bad the original writer, Bill Crown, was bumped out of the process by those who hijacked the project. I guess Karma decided the fate of the film.

1200 pages of research were prepared but obviously not used. This is a story about a real man living in real times. Taking poetic liberties is fine, but there has to be authenticity for a film like this to work.

Brody hot off his Oscar was perfectly suited to the role. Penelope Cruise, wisely selected as the love interest also internationally recognized, should have brought forth faithful followers. A formula that would have worked had not the intentions of the story been skewed so far off mark.

Pretty disappointing. I came in knowing nothing of bullfighting or the life of Manolete and I left knowing a little more of Manolete and no more about bullfighting.

The film was slow and uncertain about its focus. Brody and Cruz who I think are exceptional actors in other works are flat and have zero chemistry. Brody in particular made the protagonist quite unlikeable and difficult to root for. It's beautifully shot but feels like it's missing crucial parts. It did succeed in peaking my interest though, the seeds of a fascinating world and a fascinating relationship were sown and I bought a book about Manolete.

I'm not really into Spain or bullfighting. So if this this movie just appealed at first for the dynamic Penélope, finally, it totally hooks me.

The first great thing is the talent of Adrian Brody. It's true as Pené said that he the most beautiful ugly man but he exudes such humanity that he is also the most underrated actor! Here, he is totally convincing as a legendary sportsman and shy boyfriend.

Next, the director (a newcomer for me) is talented as well: he has a great "eye" and offers totally stunning and poetic visuals: I like how he plays with Spain flag, with the washing as the red cape for the bull. He does the same parallel with love and bullfight. At the end, the use of revolving doors enhances a lot the drama. His cinematography is vivid, full of colors and we can really appreciate the Spanish culture (thus, I realized that it keeps its Arabic history as well).

At last, the two big themes (passion, bullfight) are depicted like a mystic experience. It's not just a simple romance but a burning love and bullfight is beyond sport, it's a tradition. So, as our two lovers are passionate but also defective, the movie heads full speed at a tragedy and the editing is totally right as it ticks like a clock, balancing with the past and present.

It's true that my French DVD is only 88 minutes and the movie is dynamic without time-out.

In conclusion, it's a superb surprise and I urge even the anti bullfight to watch it because it's not a absurd slaughter!

Spanish/English co-production concerning about a brief biography of the known Torero Manolete (Adrien Brody) who rose to prominence shortly after the Spanish Civil War and is considered by some to be the greatest bullfighter of all time . The movie begins in the journey from Sevilla to Linares , and he remains in Córdoba to find his mother . There are , subsequently , various flashbacks remembering some passages of his life . As mainly focusing his relationship with a Fatal woman , Lupe Sino (Penélope Cruz) , a world-class lover who enters in his complicated world and with whom has an uncommitted romance . As Lupe Sino cannot be considered a "respectable" girl in 1940s Spain , though she she is willing to settle down and become a "respectable" woman he can marry . But Manolete's colleagues and best friends (Santiago Segura , Juan Echanove) disapprove of the relationship because they fear for their own status . And developing his Bullfighting skills , as his style was sober and serious , with few concessions to the gallery, and he excelled at the Suerte De Matar — the kill . Manolete's contribution to bullfighting included being able to stand very still while the bull passed close to his body and , rather than giving the passes separately, he was able to remain in one spot and link four or five consecutive passes together into a compact series . Manolete popularized a pass with the Muleta called the "Manoletina," which is normally given just before entering to kill with the sword . In addition to all of the major bullrings of Spain , he had very important triumphs in Plaza Mexico.

This "A Matador's Mistress" , also known as the title "The passion within" or ¨Blood and passion¨ in some countries deals with a love joined to the high stakes of the Bullfight ; it is the story of a winner bullfighter against a brave beast . And there are a lot of shots about bullfighting , especially in its final part , showing a spectacular Corrida , being technical consultants the notorious Toreros : Espartaco and Cayetano Martínez who has a brief cameo as Lupe's lover . It contains mediocre interpretations from a famous main cast : Adrien Brody and Penélope Cruz . And support cast is pretty good , such as Santiago Segura , Juan Echanove , Ann Mitchell , Enrique Arce , Pedro Casablanc , among others . The picture displays a colorful and evocative cinematography by Robert Yeoman . And a tragic , sensitive and sad music by Dan Jones and Gabriel Yared . The motion picture was middlingly directed by Menno Meyjes (Martian child , Het Diner , Max)

The movie gives a brief description about the culture of Spain surrounding the age old traditions of the Matador . As the ancient Toreo art-form is described with unflinching and fetching realism . As bullfighter Manolete , Adrien Brody , relentlessly flirting with death and along the way he has a turbulent love story with a woman of dark past . This was Lupe Sino , regularly played by Penélope Cruz with a basket-crown on her upper left incisor , who is depicted as enjoying the company of men, and frequently called a "prostitute" by Manolete's entourage . At the end Manolete died in August 1947 following a goring in the upper right leg as he killed the fifth bull of the day, the Miura bull Islero, an event that left Spain in a state of shock. Manolete received his fatal goring in the town of Linares where he appeared alongside the up-and-coming matador Luis Miguel Dominguín, who, after Manolete's death, proclaimed himself Number One . In response to Manolete's death , General Francisco Franco , then dictator of Spain , ordered three days of "national mourning" , during which only funeral dirges were heard on the radio .