Inconscientes

This is a Freudian comedy set in Barcelona , 1913 . The picture concerns about Alma (Leonor Watling) and her hubby Doctor Leon Pardo (Alex Brendemuhl) who is a psychiatrist follower of theories about sexuality and hysteria by Sigmund Freud . Her brother-in-law is Salvador (Luis Tosar) and married to Olivia (Nuria Prims), daughter of a famous psychiatrist (Juanjo Puigcorbe) . He is lustfully wishing to Alma . As Leon leaves her about to give birth and both start to investigate . The only tracks they get is a manuscript and going on a successive intrigues where are blended dangers , homosexual ball , brothels and a twisted ending . This is a fun Spanish movie that playfully questions sexual taboos through a Sherlock Holmes-style investigation .

This is a hilarious film and a sexy costumer comedy . Humor is sometimes cheesy and gross-out with numerous naughty and picaresque situations such as sex jokes , adulteries , incest and adult scenes . The plot is ridiculous and embarrassment but has its sympathetic moments here and there and it is formed by some humor set-pieces that divide the action in diverse episodes . The movie is well set on Barcelona 1913 , Art Deco , and modernism epoch , being magnificently reflected in luxurious palaces , houses and rooms . The picture is starred by Leonor Watling (The bad education , Talk to her , Desire) , an Almodovar girl , she gives an enjoyable acting and Luis Tosar (Mondays in the sun , Thirteen chimes) who is miscasting but he is a serious actor no apt for comedy , and even though he earned his best reviews with Celda 211 he considers to be this one of the weakest performances . Both of whom are making an American career , she playing ¨My life without me¨ and Tosar with ¨Miami vice¨ . The motion picture was regularly directed by Joaquin Oristrell (No shame) being more famous as a writer (Love causes seriously damage your health , Off Key , Between your legs , Extasis) than as a filmmaker . The flick will appeal to Spanish cinema buffs . Rating : average but entertaining.

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.

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

Unconscious, which just had its international (outside of Spain) premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, is a very good comedy/mystery. The art direction is very convincing, the dialogue is charming and fast paced and the plot twists are satisfyingly unpredictable. The Spanish cinema is blessed with a broad selection of films that focus on early twentieth century Spain, and this is a welcome addition to that group. It also features a strong comedic performance from Leonor Watling (from Almodovar's Talk to Her) who richly deserves an increased amount of recognition on the international cinema scene. Luis Tosar also does a very fine job as Salvador, the somewhat hapless male lead.

UNCONSCIOUS (Inconscientes) is a stylish little Spanish film form the minds of writers Dominic Harari and Joaquín Oristrell, a tongue in cheek look at the influence of Sigmund Freud on social behavior at the fin de siecle in Spain. Not only is the story highly entertaining as a comedy, the production values and creative direction by Joaquín Oristrell make this a must-see for lovers of European art films.

The story is a bit convoluted, but then the title suggests that in the first place! If there is a line of continuity it is the effect of Freud as the one who peeped into the privacy of our lives and the strange findings he discovered. Very pregnant Alma (the always beguiling Leonor Watling) is missing her psychiatrist husband and engages the aid of her brother-in-law Salvador (Luis Tosar) to find him. Alma's sister Olivia (Núria Prims) suspects a tryst between Alma and Salvador, adding a bit more mystery to the story. The discoveries made about each of the highly assorted groups of players in the drama are made in the oddest of places - a men's steam room/gym, a transvestite ball (in which many of the characters' form the outside world are found to have very special needs!), and in places throughout the picturesque Barcelona. There is no particular resolution to this quasi-plot: the joy is in the telling of the story, and that is a total pleasure to watch.

The very large cast is uniformly exceptional and the creative aspects of the shifting of the various components of this storybook tale are as fine as have been seen in recent cinema. This is comedy border but not becoming slapstick and it is served up delectably! In Spanish and German with English subtitles. Grady Harp, November 07