En la ciudad

An ensemble piece set amongst a middle class group of thirty something friends in Barcelona.

This tepid drama punches well below its weight. Whilst certainly watchable, it never really gets going. Only María Pujalte's standout performance as Sofía really provides any interest or believable moments. As an unconventionally sexy woman, she perfectly captures the female habit of hankering after the unavailable and unsuitable man who has no real respect for her (in this case a married man), rejecting the attentions of a sensitive and intelligent but uncharismatic suitor. This element excepted, the minor characters and their sub plots are far more interesting than the main action.

Cesc Gay appeared to try and pinpoint the inherent loneliness that many city dwellers often feel despite a comfortable lifestyle and a close group of friends, but ultimately the angst middle class misery feels more self indulgent than poignant and insightful.

"En la ciudad" portrays the daily lives, secrets and lies of a bunch of thirty-somethings living in Barcelona. Although they share a lot of time together, one can see the isolation affect the characters, who talk a lot but eventually fail to communicate what's really inside them.

The film relies in its magnificent script, but, above all, in the great performances by its actors. Some of them are very good (Eduard Fernández, Mónica López, Alex Brendemühl and some others), but the real standout here is María Pujalte, as a sensitive woman addicted to romance.

For its sincere portrait of urban life and for the great job of screenwriters and performers, overall rating: 9.

"In the City" is a subtitled Spanish film about the ups and downs in the lives of a slew of 30+ middle class men and women who are interconnected by a variety of relationships. This uneventful, all dialogue film simply follows these characters around town conjuring snippets of their lives from small talk to infidelity while presenting the viewer with a whole lot of subtitles to read. In spite of a very well acted and directed presentation, "In the City" has a scant plot with little to offer save voyeurism which is little pay-off for all the subtitle reading required to follow the motley mix of characters through the nuances of their relationships. Worth a look for Spanish speakers those into "friends" flicks. All others beware. (B)