Reinas

I saw this movie in Spain last month and think it is one of the more clever gay themed films I have seen in a while. Contrasting it with most of the U.S. gay films, it lacked the superfluous drug and sex clichés that those filmmakers seem to the think the gay audience demands. It didn't fall prey to the trite and camp that makes the genre so formulaic in this country, and will probably plague the English "remake" should there be one. More impressive, though, was that I think I was one of 6 gay people in an audience of about 100..this in a country that less than 40 years ago was suffocating under Franco's regime of control and censorship. Here is hoping one day that happens here!

Director Manuel Gómez Pereira has long been respected both in Spain and around the world for his edgy, hilarious, clever and wildly entertaining films. Writing with Yolanda García Serrano he has hit the mark with REINAS ('Queens') not only in taking on controversial subject matter and creating a successful comedy out of politically dangerous topic, but he has also done so by avoiding the usual pitfalls of gay stereotypes, making the focus of this film about Spain's approval of gay marriages not on the men involved, but instead on their mothers - the real Queens.

The story is fairly straightforward (if you will): there is to be a group wedding of gay couples in which three of the couples involved have frantic problems with their mothers' attending. Some of the mothers approve, others despair, others take advantage of the situation to meet their own needs. The effect of these 'double mothers-in-law' on the six men involved is packed with surprises, secrets, bizarre behavior, confessions, manifestations of life patterns less than reputable, and whirling dervish spins on acceptance.

The mothers are portrayed by some of the finest actresses in Spanish cinema: Marisa Paredes portrays Reyes, a famous actress (hysterically identified as Carmen Maura) whose class refuses to accept the cat that her son is marrying her gardener's son; Carmen Maura (yes) plays Magda, the owner of a new hotel chain catering to gays; Verónica Forqué is Nuria, a sex addicted nymphomaniac whose drives don't prevent her form bringing her lusts home to her family; Mercedes Sampietro plays Judge Helena who barely tolerates the effect of a public wedding of her son on her career but ends up being forced to perform the ceremony; and Argentine actress Betiana Blum is Ofelia, a restaurant owner/worker who arrives form Buenos Aires for the wedding with her runabout dog causing antics that threaten her son's relationship. The sons are played to perfection and without the slightest bit of stereotypical behavior we usually encounter in these films by six excellent actors: Gustavo Salmerón, Unax Ugalde, Hugo Silva, Daniel Hendler, Paco León, and Raúl Jiménez.

Manuel Gómez Pereira makes fine use of flashbacks and flash-forwards that enhance the breakneck speed the story needs. There is enough tenderness on the part of every actor to offset the near-slapstick comedy scenes, and in the end the movie leaves the audience with a true sense of celebration - not only for the characters involved in the story but also with the forward movement of human rights in Spain. This is a highly entertaining, polished, classy film that deserves a very wide audience. Grady Harp, September 06

In Spain, a couple of days before a collective gay wedding, the lives of five mothers, whose sons will get married, are entwined: Judge Helena (Mercedes Sampietro) is in charge of the ceremony; the entrepreneur in hotel business Magda (Carmen Maura) is hosting the guests in her hotel and is responsible for the banquet, while facing a strike leaded by her lover and chef; the nymphomaniac Nuria (Verónica Forqué) is facing problems due to her uncontrollable disease; the wealthy Reyes (Marisa Paredes) is having a crush for the father of her son's mate and her gardener; and the Argentinean cooker Ofelia (Betiana Blum) is facing financial problems and difficulties in the relationship with her son's mate. Along three days, they have complicated relationships with their sons and mates, ex-husbands, lovers and employees.

"Reinas" is a nice movie based on a fashionable theme, the marriage of gay couples, being a great entertainment. There are funny and dramatic situations, but they are satisfactorily resolved in an optimistic way. The controversial and unthinkable affair of Magda and her married chef Cesar is probably the weakest point of the story. I was particularly impressed with the beauty and elegance of Ms. Mercedes Sampietro. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Rainhas" ("Queens")

Reinas / Queens / or "Schwule Mütter ohne Nerven" as the German titles was - is a amazing funny movie about the first official Spanish gay marriage.

Not the tree different gay couples playing the main part - no, its the story about their mothers played by the grand dames of the Spanish cinema.

Its a romantic comedy, wonderful filmed. Some events say: 4 hours before. So we see again a event a second time but from another angle. The movie / story is like a small puzzle and come's on the end to a whole thing (the marriage). I would say it's interesting made.

Yes, its funny, a lot humor, but the acting is never overacted! Very good I found was Unax Ugalde (the blond haired guy) who's really talented actor.

I saw this film recently as part of the Manchester celebrations of the enactment of the Civil Partnership Act and I was expecting from the write up a foreign language film with an ethereal link to this specific political moment in time. However it was a fantastically funny film! The film follows a series of couples over the weekend prior to the first gay weddings in Spain.

The delight of the film for me was the intensity of the spectoral gaze upon the relationships between 'gay in-laws' and between gay men and their mothers. The film refuses any clichés.

The defining aspect of this film that makes it excellent is that I totally forgot about the subtitles and just lived the action! The other defining aspect of the films greatness is that this was the first film I have watched at the cinema since 'The Full Monty' that had a raucous round of applause verging onto a standing ovation!