Son de mar

Bigas Luna's "Son de Mar" is a beautiful love story that is sexy, to boot.

I knew nothing about this film when I rented it. I picked it solely because of its director. Although I am not a huge fan of "Jamón, jamón" (1992), there were moments I enjoyed.

Am I ever glad that I rented this. It's a captivating love story that has two very good performances, including a gloriously sensual turn by Leonor Watling. The film also features some tremendously sexy love scenes, including one without any nudity.

Watling's screen presence is positively hypnotic. She makes Martina utterly believable, a passionate woman who revels in her sexuality and is madly in love with Ulises. Their moments together are poignant and real. The characters are smart, funny, sexy, and we so believe the love between Ulises and Martina that we cannot help but root for them.

Parts of this film might seem corny due to its soap opera-like plotting. Then again, that's something Luna enjoys doing. And somehow he and his actors make it work.

There are some inexplicable, and perhaps unnecessary moments, including one with an alligator. But they don't detract from the charm of this film. And you've got to hand it to Luna - he knows how to make beautiful women truly sizzle on screen.

This is a film for adults. Thank goodness Europeans still make romantic movies for grown-ups and don't dilute them by catering to the lowest common denominator by turning them into maudlin, conventional, predictable crap like many of Hollywood's romantic comedies.

If you enjoy unconventional love stories, this one is most definitely worth a look.

it is not a great film. only a Bigas Luna. romantic, sexy, dramatic, cruel. victim of clichés , saved buy Eneida quote, it is a beautiful not surprising film.its key - Bigas Luna vision about a story who has basic mixture of salt and honey. the slices of soap drama, the nuances of acting, the love scenes makes entire plot not realistic but decent for many of viewers. only problem - the expectations. the impression than the story is the same like many others. but the real virtue is only its role of clean story. not extraordinary , not amazing. only as a form of remember of pink novels and essence of not happy love stories. so, just a Bigas Luna. and a silk story about love.

At first I thought: oh come on, give me a break... The wandering, dreamy-eyed young teacher, the pouting, rap-music-blasting village Lolita sucking oranges, the white panties on the clothes-line, could you be any more clichéd? But then the story grew on me, with its many parallels to the Greek myths, so much so that I think I'll go back to the source and reread the original material. Some of the sea and water images reminded me of "Sex and Lucia" which I still prefer. Also, in the R-Rated version I rented from Blockbuster, the sex scenes must have been cut. Nothing spectacular, by far. So Bigas Luna likes breasts, but then again, we knew that already. ***1/2

A gorgeously photographed film, to be sure, but what about the plot line? Some interesting ideas are never fully developed, and some of the details are a bit incomprehensible, for example the baby crocodile in the yacht and the idea that our hero can survive comfortable in an abandoned apartment complex. Quibbling aside, it is an enjoyable film to watch, even though the final scene at the closing credits is a bit much.

Bigas Luna is a strange breed of the Spanish cinema: He is out to shock his audience all the time with sex, sex, and more sex. How strange, when everyone else is busy imitating him... The story he gives us here connects Ulyses and Martina in a web of passion in which the same sex they live for prove to be their own downfall.

We cannot fault the director with an eye for giving us gorgeous women like Penelope, Aitana, Leonor, and others just as beautiful, except Romaine Bohringer in The Chambermaid of the Titanic. Mr. Bigas Luna has an eye for the visual, as he demonstrates with the opening scenes with the sounds effects and music. The only problem with this film is that the story doesn't hold when it turns out to be another soap opera in which Ms. Watling goes into her own fashion show. While it is fun to watch, one comes out after seeing this film empty of any emotional involvement with the characters or the situation that was presented here. Jordi Molla and Leonor Watling make an attractive couple. It's obvious that Mr. Molla's screen appearances let him express himself by letting it all "hang out" as shown in this film as well as in Second Skin! Well done Bigas Luna and see your alligator later.........