sugarfreepeppermint

I love about this film:

• handsome young fit blond protagonist having a fetish for being raped and complaining he can't find a real man who will really do so.

• his roommate / landlord / friend whose every social interaction always circles back to scoring drugs via them, and it being fully relatable
• misogyny: fat girls being treated dismissively, unless they can provide drugs
• a subtle barely recognizable slowed down music track: Olivia Newton John - Magic - underscoring a build up of a scene where a seemingly commonplace encounter develops into the magic of falling in lust / love.

• late 90s early 2000s underground visuals / experimental photography and editing

Not so good: the beginning and ending of the film are a bit too abstract for my liking.

This is a film made in the spirit of 1980's Spanish underground film Pepi, Luci, Bom that was the first film of Pedro Almodovar. Throughout the film, other themes and scenes from Almodavar films are referenced, such as Ley del Deseo (film director being stalked by ambitious young handsome actors), Kika (ruthless sensationalist paparazzi), as well as soundalike Bernardo Bonezzi music from Que he Hecho Para Merecer Esto, as well as its aesthetics. There are also drag / punk song performances in the style of Laberinto de Pasiones , with current drag artists such as Samantha Hudson, Marina (from Drag Race Spain series 2) and La Prohibida. The latter plays her real life alias Amapola in this film, to add to the meta-cinematic punch line; she is a real scene stealer.

It is worth watching this film alone to marvel at all the interesting Almodovar vignettes. A very refreshing film, in a world gone mad with political correctness. (although, the film would have benefited from completely distancing itself from any political standpoint to truly be politically incorrect).