Jambon, jambon

Jamón, jamón is a dark, sexy, disturbing and very sarcastic romance, that mercilessly satirizes Spanish mentality and culture, though it can't in all honestly be labeled a comedy. It's no surprise that its most passionate advocates, as well as critics, are Spanish; but to the non-Spanish viewer, it's still an entertaining and captivating film. Unfortunately, it suffers from an amateurish execution that sometimes makes it feel more like a Spanish soap opera than a feature, and since the satire will go over many viewers' heads, the poor character development, melodramatic and unconvincing acting, and often mishandled cinematography may be quite off-putting. Director Bigas Luna clearly shares many passions and tastes with the more world-famous Pedro Almodóvar, but he can't match Almodóvar artistry and visual flair; the heavy-handed symbolism, quirky sexuality and scenes that are apparently weird for the sake of weird make it feel like an Almodóvar rip-off (which it's not) and make it harder to appreciate the stronger scenes and the biting satire.

For non-Spanish viewers, the film's main draw is getting to see Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem very early in their careers; while their top-billing position make it look like Stefania Sandrelli and Anna Galiena are the stars (probably because they were much bigger names in 1992) Cruz and Bardem are not only the real leads but also provide the film's best acting by far, so much so that whenever the scene cuts to one where neither one appears, the TV-soap feeling is suddenly much more pronounced - Sandrelli, Galiena and Jordi Mollà are ludicrously over-the-top, which is part of the point, but Cruz and Bardem manage to transcend that ludicrousness and their characters' flatness and are enough to make the film flow quite well. Fans of either one should definitely check it out; for them or for anyone else, it's a memorable and unusual film, worth your time, but very flawed and should not be approached with very high expectations.

A small Spanish town is dominated by two businesses , -an underwear factory and a brothel- both run by strong-minded women . In the factory works as an executive , Manuel (Jordi Mollá) , chief's (Juan Diego) son , and also his girlfriend Sylvia (Penélope Cruz was 16 years old when this movie was made) works on the shop floor making male underwear . The brothel's Carmen (Anna Galiena) and the Factory's Conchita (Stefania Sandrelli) clash when Carmen's daughter becomes pregnant by Manuel . When Sylvia falls pregnant , Jose Luis promises her that he will marry her , most likely against the wishes of his parents ; to be aware Conchita , she is appalled and seeks an extreme solution . As his mother to be opposed to this relationship to a young girl from a lower-class family , and she then hires stud Raul (Javier Bardem) , to seduce Sylvia , only to fall for him himself .

Weird melodrama satirizing various aspects of the Spaniard characters , including machismo , ¨Toros and Toreo¨ , food and sex . The special film title ¨Jamón , Jamón¨ , that's why in Spanish, the word "jamón" means ''ham'', while a ''jamóna'' is a ''dish of a woman" . This is a decent film , being first part of Bigas Luna's "Iberian Trilogy" , it is stylishly photographed and smartly designed . Here Bigas Luna delivers his ordinary and erotic goods in cool sense of style , but including a lot of unkindly characters . Entertaining and modern picture filled with young roles and concerning a beautiful girl who wishes a better life and becomes involved with a passionate triangle . This stirring as well as erotic story is a touching retelling and moving tale about wishes , lies and disappointments , but including strong sex scenes with loads of nudism . This interesting flick results to be a moving tale about ambition , desire , luxury and poorness . As usual in Bigas Luna films , ¨Jamón , Jamon¨ explores the darkest depths of eroticism and Latinos stereotypical , including the Spanish machismo . So-so acting by a very young Penélope Cruz who becomes pregnant , she plays an obstinate girl whose naïve dreams are soon shattered by the ruthlessness and mediocre Jordi Mollá as Jose Luis , an executive at his parents underwear factory who wants to marry Sylvia . The best acting is given by Javier Bardém as a potential underwear model and would-be bullfighter , he represents perfectly the typical ¨Iberian macho¨ who attributes his sexual prowess to a steady diet of garlic and ham . Support cast is frankly extraordinary , such as as Stefania Sandrelli as Conchita , Jose Luis' mother , who is determined to break her son's engagement and Anna Galiena as a mature prostitute who runs a brothel . Furthermore , a colorful and evocative cinematography by Jose Luis Alcaine who was first cinematographer to use fluorescent tube as "key" lightning and deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameramen . Alcaine frequently works with Pedro Almodóvar , Bigas Luna and Vicente Aranda , as he has photographed ¨The skin I live in¨ , The bad education¨ , ¨Volver¨ , ¨Women in the verge of a nervous breakdown¨, among others . And a sensitive musical score by Nicola Paviani , including an enjoyable leitmotif .

The motion picture was compellingly directed by Bigas Luna , following his particular style , though is is full of nudism , intercourses and Softcore . He often uses in his films twisted events , erotic scenes and surrealist images , here including Goya/Luis Buñuel frames-alike . He was a Bon Vivant who along with his wife , produced wine , ham , and organic products ; they are well shown in his films . For 39 years, under General Francisco Franco's repressive regime , it was almost impossible for Spain to create a vibrant film industry and for talented film-makers to express themselves freely . However, after the death of the Generalissimo in 1975, there was a burst of creativity, with Pedro Almodóvar paving the way for directors such as Bigas Luna , who has died of cancer aged 67 . In 1990 the producer Andrés Vicente Gómez persuaded him to return to cinema and entrusted to him the direction of Las Edades De Lulú (The Ages of Lulu) , an erotic drama about a young woman exploring extreme sexual practices , this was a commercial hit . Without abandoning his dedication to painting and photography , reflected in numerous exhibitions , he began the well-known "Iberian Trilogy" with Jamón Jamón ("Ham, Ham", 1992) , Huevos de Oro ("Golden Balls", 1993) and La Teta y La Luna ("The Tit and the Moon", 1994) which explored the darkest depths of eroticism and stereotypical Spanish machismo . Jamón Jamón, which launched the careers of both Javier Bardem and the 16-year-old Penélope Cruz was a major international success and won the Silver Lion at Venice in 1992 . The latter introduced Penélope Cruz to audiences and launched Javier Bardem as the embodiment of the Spanish stud . "I owe my career to Bigas Luna" , Bardem said in 2001 . Cruz returned in ¨Volavérunt¨ (1999), a film about the relationship between Francisco Goya and the Duchess of Alba . His last film was ¨Di Di Hollywood¨ with Elsa Pataki that failed at box office until his recent death .

...to get this movie but it surely helps.

It's a bit sad to see so many reviews which so totally miss the point, and none of them from Spain. One negative reviewer even thought the film was set in Mexico which goes to show how much attention he was paying.

This film is a satire on various aspects of Spanish culture and character, primarily machismo and sexual hypocrisy, but taking in culinary preferences, attitudes to animals and those surreal brandy adverts in the shape of bulls that any visitor to Spain will be familiar with. Bigas Luna chucks it all in the stew and turns the heat up to maximum.

And why are so many people upset by the trucks? The film is set next to one of those long dusty highways that are so common in Spain. Of course there are trucks. Take my tip, go to Spain, rent a car, drive between almost any two big cities, stay in a motel at the side of the road, try and sleep - you will get the idea.

Bigas Luna's most noted work in North America, Jamon Jamon is a film that teeters on offensive, but does so with such sweetness and charm that it is hard to resist.

In a plot that only Luna could bring to life, young, sexy Silvia (Penelope Cruz) is engaged to and pregnant by Jose Luis, the son of underwear merchants. Silvia is too lower class for Jose Luis' meddling mother, Conchita, so she hires the young, handsome Raul (Javier Bardem) a worker in a ham factory and wannabe underwear model and bull fighter, to romance her away. But the love starved and still sexy Conchita falls for Raul, while Jose Luis frequents the bordello owned by Silvia's mother. Eventually, the two men duke it out in one of the most unique and bizarre fight scenes ever, beating each other with hams.

This is a dark and weird R-rated soap opera, in which every scene is over the top melodrama, and all characters deliver their lines like they were their last. But it works scene after scene, largely due to the directing and casting. For physical appearance, you won't find a better looking cast anywhere.

Jamon Jamon is challenging because it is so unconventional, but is also enjoyable because of its romance and passion. I enjoy Luna movies immensely and highly recommend this film along with the two that follow, Heuvos de Oro and La teta y la Luna. ***1/2 out of ****.

This is a very entertaining film. Bigas Luna (director) loves life and all it's weirdness and beauty, which is rather evident in this wonderful film. Definitely a cure for boredom or sadness. The plot turns gets crazier as the film unfolds. Nothing is too much in this imaginative film. A must for all lovers of black comedy. Do also check out Mr Lunas "Teta y la luna, La (1994).