Inconscientes

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.

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 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.

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 (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