Diecisiete

Full disclosure: I'm a sucker for movies about dogs. But I'm also, I like to think, a level-headed dog-lover, so I tend to be critical of movies that turn them into soppy love-sponges. The premise of this movie -- a troubled teen (possibly autistic?) is brought out of his shell of morose neediness by caring for an equally anti-social dog -- could, in the wrong hands, have yielded mainly schmaltz. Instead it has produced a wry, unsentimental, beautifully acted bromance -- well, I don't like that term, because it suggests Owen Wilson and Adam Sandler getting wasted together, but it's more apposite than usual, since it is mainly about two emotionally reticent brothers negotiating a fraught relationship -- the dog, in fact, is secondary, a kind of McGuffen to the actual substance of the movie. Biel Montero is irresistibly impossible as the ever-so-tough but emotionally fragile younger brother, and Nacho Sanchez counters perfectly as the exasperated, long-suffering but devoted elder brother. I particularly enjoyed his attempts to teach his brother what irony is -- a tricky concept, especially for a seventeen-year old with issues. There is also a hilarious performance from a prize cow. A gem of a movie. I watched it a second time to make sure that it was as good as I'd thought the first time. It was.

I was surprised by this movie. The acting is convincing and the history is very authentic. If you want to see a movie about filings in family, this movie is for you.

Good Spanish cinema. I recommend it.

Many times the life is too hard to understand when you are so young and you become angry and isolated. Then there are family values which allows you to get recovered. This excelent spanish movie will show you how love between brothers overcomes life situations.

One of the best international movies I have watched, simple and feel good movie. We need more like this!

A superb film. About coming of age, brotherhood, about family , about the angry of a special age. And about something more important. The cinematography , the acting are the fair traits of a touching story about precise definition of life . The basic virtue - great job of Biel Montoro. So, just superb.