La mala educación

Spoilers

Since 'Hable con ella' ('Talk to her', for which my summary line was 'Almodovar mellowing?') which some consider Almodovar's best, his fans have been looking forward to his next one with great expectation but also some apprehension as to how could he possibly tope it, in the sheer ingenious creativity, if nothing else. Bound for Cannes release, Bad Education soon demonstrated that the apprehension is not unfounded. It is, after all, not easy to surpass the achievement of Hanle con ella. Undoubtedly still Almodovar, Bad Education however is Almodovar melodrama, a little short of Almodovar masterpiece.

The film opens with attention grabbing, definitive music (regardless of what mood) that is Almodovar's hallmark. Similarly, we see the inimitable Almodovar feuding colours. Homosexuality and fetishism you'll almost always expect in an Almodovar film but there is less extreme perversity and violence compared with some of his other pictures.

And here comes the plot. The story of the young altar boys is told in a manuscript of a book entitled 'The Visit', which is used by one of the grown-up boys Ignacio, now a transvestite called Zahara, as a tool for blackmailing Father Manolo. But wait, all this is just in a screenplay. The story of Father Manolo and the altar boys however is real. The real Ignacio is the screenplay writer, who is trying to get Enrique the film director, another grown-up altar boy, to produce the film. But wait again, Ignacio doesn't want to be called Ignacio, claiming that he is now a fully transformed person called Angel, an actor trying very hard to get to play the part Zahara. Having fun yet? There's more. Enrique becomes suspicious if Ignacio/Angel is really the Ignacio he knew as a kid, and embarks on an investigation. Meanwhile, Father Monolo jumps out of the screenplay, materialising as a real person. And all these stories within stories are told jumping back and forth between past and present, fiction and reality. Enough? There's more, a lot more.

In the end, Bad Education, while enormously entertaining, stops at being just that instead of moving further into the realm of depth of emotion and breadth of creativity we see in Talk to Her and All About Mother. However, in addition to the entertainment, there is one particularly bright spot, one Gael Garcia Bernal (playing Angel and all the rest of them) who first served notice in the brilliant Mexican film Amores perros (2000) that he has to be reckoned with. I just can't wait to see him play Cuban revolutionary icon 'Che' Geuvara in Motorcycle Diaries (2004).

With 'La Mala Educación' Pedro Almodóvar has surpassed himself. It's a very intelligent film with wisely-chosen actors. Gael García Bernal is simply magnificent in portraying three very different characters. This goes to show that he's not only got looks but also a great talent. It couldn't have been easy for him, especially when doing the role of Zahara! Fele Martínez is also very good as Enrique, Ignacio's beloved childhood friend. A round of applause goes to the young Ignacio as well. One can see the anxiety in his eyes when Father Manolo approaches him. The latter's frustration is very clearly brought out in the direction of certain scenes by Almodóvar. Definitely not a film to miss!

Enrique is a film director working on his new project when an old school friend, Ignacio, arrives looking for acting work. Enrique fobs him off with excuses and Ignacio leaves him with a story he has written called 'The Visit'. The story is based on their childhood together as well as having a totally fictional section where Ignacio (Zahara). As Enrique reads the story it takes him back to his childhood effectively where they fell in love as boys before being separated by Father Manolo who also loved Ignacio. When he decides to make the film of the story it only serves to spark more memories as well as bringing revelations.

When I read the plot summary for this film I assumed that it would be difficult to penetrate (pardon the pun) and that I would struggle to follow it. Now that I think back on it I wonder how on earth I managed to follow a film that has threads and characters that don't exist even within the film and it is to the film's credit that it works really well. The film appears to have about three of four stories but really it is only one story that we are being told and a very effective story it is. It is engaging and very well written – we care about the characters even as they change and trick us. Only the final 20 minutes appear to be unsure of themselves and it is here that the film drags slightly, but at till this point it is all great. This is not to say it is an easy watch because it isn't.

If you are homophobic then this is not the film for you – I am used to seeing shows (Oz, 6 Ft Under) where such acts are portrayed but I was taken aback by the graphic nature of the acts here. I don't mean you see anything but it leaves very little to your imagination. This is not a problem – it's just that many men may find this difficult to watch. Likewise scenes involving mutual masturbation between young boys is hardly something that one can watch without feeling slightly uncomfortable. However the one thing the film does through all this is deliver good characters. As much as I couldn't watch Ignacio licking his fingers to wet his 'area' and ease penetrate I still liked him as a character. Even more pleasing was the fact that the film never makes Father Manolo a monster; of course there is no sympathy for the man in the film but it could have just made him a lecherous beast who the audience immediately hate – a pantomime villain – but the script creates a more complex character.

The cast do a great job of delivering these characters and they make it work very well even if come of them have to change characters midstream or be one of several actors playing the same character. Martínez plays the most consistent character in the film and he does well with a good part, even if he has a less showy role than some others. Bernal has the most difficult role and he does really well to keep the audience with him while delivering all sorts of roles! If nothing else he is a brave actor and he deserves good parts to do more work like this. I don't know the rest of the actors by name but I enjoyed the other queen in the fictional part and also the guy who played Manolo in the fictionalised and childhood sections. Boira's Ignacio lacks subtlety and is overblown – but by his point of the film I think that was the whole point.

Overall this is far from most people's cup of tea – even those used to seeing art films may find it hard going due to the graphic simulation of the sexual acts within the film. But despite this the film is really well delivered. Many Almodóvar fans have said this is one of his lesser films but I cannot agree when I think of the skill he displays in keeping the difficult narrative together. The characters are mostly well written and the story is engaging even if it flags a little bit at the end.

Almodovar's latest film is a tantalizing, hypnotic and sexy mixture of VERTIGO, MEMENTO and MULLHOLLAND DRIVE. It's Almodovar's meatiest and most complex script in years. Although you may be confused early on as you're trying to figure out whats going on, its all revealed later and very satisfyingly. Gael Garcia Bernal is outstanding in his multi-dimensional, multi-character performance. Alberto Iglesia's music is wonderful--a homage to Bernard Herrmann.

The film is rated NC-17, which has more to do with the MPAA Board's homophobia than anything else. Sure, its a sexy drama with elements adult plotpoints, but had the sex scenes in this film been between a man and a woman, rather than two men, this would have easily gotten an R rating. All of the sex scenes are artfully filmed (there is no frontal nudity) and even the subplot concerning a pedophile priest is handled with care.

In "La Mala Educación", Almodóvar is very serious and too dark and tragic, when comparing to his previous movies. There are many usual elements, such as the attack to the Catholic Church, gays, travesties, homosexual intercourse, child abuse etc., but not in his common ironical, colorful and funny way; instead, the story is developed in a very bitter context. The screenplay magnificently discloses the plot, with a story inside another story, mixing "reality" with fiction; the direction of Pedro Almodóvar is excellent as usual; and Gael Garcia Bernal proves his versatility as an outstanding actor. Although being a great film, I do not dare to recommend "La Mala Educación" for any audiences. However, fans like me of this great Spanish director will certainly like it a lot. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Má Educação" ("Bad Education")