Barrio

I really didn't like this movie when I first saw it. In retrospect, I am a little more forgiving, but not much.

The reason I actually gave this movie a 5/10 is that the concept was really, really good: three youths in urban Madrid seem to have little or no chance in the larger world, because of factors completely beyond their control. The environment these boys live in is devastating to think about, because it neglects so many things about them and the world they live in, yet they can't even perceive this deficiency precisely because of that deficiency.

Now, if you're thinking this sounds good, you're right. But the actual movie is not that good. While there are a few scenes that really shine(especially the final one which quite literally has a young man "trying to walk the straight and narrow"), the majority of this movie is interminably slow, with no sense of direction whatsoever. It almost felt like I was watching a very badly edited documentary. In fairness, I think I might have lost some of the more sophisticated elements of the film given that I haven't spent a lot of time around Madrid's urban slang, but the language gap wasn't so large that it could possibly explain the deficiencies of this film.

Decent drama/comedy/melodrama about three 15 year old best friends growing up in Madrid's Barrio. Well intended, never boring, but not quite enough of anything.

Not gritty or real enough to work as neo-realism -- it's hard to believe 15 year old street boys are as naive as these characters about sex and life itself – they sometimes come off like they should be pre-teens, or part of the far more protected classes.

The acting is solid, and the banter between the kids has a real, often funny feel, but that's not enough to transcend. And the number of convenient melodramatic twists finally overloads the last third, and makes it hard to be really moved.

Well shot and intelligent, I just wish it was deeper, or funnier, or something. Grew a bit on 2nd viewing, but not enough to own a copy for me.

Barrio is a great portrait of the low-middle class in Madrid. It shows you the life of 3 teenagers sick of their way of living and dealing with all the issues it brings.

These kids have to deal with their problems, their parent's, their hormones, the lack of money, unemployment, trying not to get into the drug world... Trying to make their way out of it and it's here when a brilliant black sense of humour comes and it's delivered in the movie over and over. The story of the delivery pizza boy, among others, is surreal, funny and brutal if you think a bit about it. Is due to this scenarios full humour that you can watch the movie without feel depressed. Don't look here for nice views of Madrid cause there aren't. It's the underground that semi dark face of the city nobody want to see.

In resume: Is a great portrait of the low-medium Spanish class with a great sense of black humour.

The end is bitter, it's true but probably because you can watch the film so easily even laugh although is not a light subject at all, the end reminds you exactly that, that it's hard, is not easy and is a serious matter. It could have left and open ending, that's true too.

Acting is great. You could even think that the guys are for real and the director is filming their real life.

I like Fernando León de Aranoa. I liked "Familia" and "Los Lunes al sol" and that's not an exception. All of his films portrays the issues that the medium class people in Spain has to deal with. Is probably the Spanish Ken Loach.

Watch this movie if you haven't watched yet. I still thinking is one of the best Spanish movies of the last 20 years. 8/10

This was the worst piece of crap ever. Now that I have seen this movie my dreams of going to Madrid have become a nightmare. If this is how a low-medium Spanish class family is then i truly feel sorry for them because their lives must be truly boring. Not only does this movie show no emotion or compassion it also does not show how difficult Spanish teenagers' lives are. The story line had potential, it just needed different actors, producers, and director. I regret watching this. I would rather watch the tape they have in The Ring. Now I know I may sound harsh and rude but compared to movies I've seen like Blood In Blood Out or Mi Familia or even Machete, this is nothing. It doesn't capture the true essence on how Latin teenagers live their lives and what they do to survive in El Barrio.

Barrio is as real as life. Everything is not all right. A very good job.