En la cama

Despite presenting a situation that normally in any spectacle would become tedious, pointless, and plain claustrophobic - two strangers having sex and talking for just one night in a cheap motel room - "En la cama" succeeds for its authenticity and no holds barred approach, shining a light into two different individuals and the dynamics of men and women. The film is sexy, funny, and poignant.

Actors Blanca Lewin and Gonzalo Valenzuela give a bravura performance as the twenty-something couple who spend over 80 minutes mostly nude in bed baring more than just their bodies. Through their uninhibited lovemaking and conversation, the film explores the possibility of true communication, intimacy, and sexual fulfillment between perfect strangers; the fact that they may never see each other again can allow them to be themselves. From the powerful eroticism of their first coitus to the awkward moments that follow to their comical character flaws to the poignancy of their revelations as the night comes to an end, the film does not judge its characters nor indulges itself in haughty romantic notions or cheap sentimentality. Its clear-eyed, realistic approach provides the vision to sustain our interest.

Although "En la cama" presents a similar situation to the excellent film "Before Sunrise," which also portraits two young strangers sharing just one night, they are totally different and cannot be compared. In "Before Sunrise," hormones and the idea of anonymous sex is certainly not the primary force that brings the couple together while beautiful, classical Vienna shines magically around them creating an ideal romance - that once in a lifetime opportunity that brings you the love of your life, seize it or you'll live to regret it. On the contrary, the characters of "En la Cama" get together to have pure sex, after which they don't even remember their names, spend the whole movie in one nondescript motel room (other than it has a sign reading "sexit"), and there are no romantic possibilities for them. Yet, their revelations are deeper as their intellectual differences, emotional wounds, and flaws manifest through the course of the night.

Without a question, this film is a giant step in Latin America cinema, effortlessly combining the nudity and sexual frankness of a classic such as "I'm Curious - Yellow" or more recent "The Dreamers" with the philosophically-different buddy films such as "My dinner with Andre." A must-see for lovers of those genres.

a woman. a man. in a hotel room. sex. talks. plains of silence, expectations, fears, desire. slices of past. small window of a future. I saw many times this film. and in each occasion, important was the fragile feeling to discover a parable in clothes of a meeting. a beautiful film about need of other and search to escape from yourself. fragility is its essence. its rule, axis and lead character. Bianca Lewin and Gonzalo Valenzuzuela are only its sculptors. their performance, delicate, precise, admirable makes things rolls. it is a delicate film. it is the virtue of director - and after years, not a surprise - to give force of a world who seems be only crumb of dream. to make a film like a silk carpet. to present a world, a state of soul, a crisis in a special manner because it becomes confession of viewer. a beautiful film. lesson. about each of us.

I recently saw this at the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival and five minutes into the film I noticed several people walking out on it. I guess they didn't realize that it's title In Bed was a film about two people in bed. This is no bed-in with John and Yoko though. It's a nice character study of two people out for a one night stand in a hotel room after meeting at a party. Lots of lovemaking and small talk turns into confessions of the soul. It's a darkly lit room and only takes place in one room with no additional scenery so it has a little of a claustrophobic feel to it at first but the fairly weak script is delivered well in word and expression from it's two talented and attractive cast members Blanca Lewin as Daniela and Gonzalo Valenzuela as Bruno. Lewin is clearly the star here and I would like to see more of her. Well, I've seen about as much of her as nature created but I would like to see her acting again. I can't believe this film had two costume designers in the credits since there are only three items, one bra, one pair of panties and one pair of men's underwear in the entire film. Two set decorators seem a little excessive too unless they created this set from scratch but it looks like an actual hotel room that they simply brought their cameras into. This is a very small low budget film and has it's flaws but it worked for me and I liked it. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10.

Lemme get this out of the way. I bought this movie because the actress on the cover (Blanca Lewin) was very good looking and wearing little clothing. I expected nothing more than an 85-minute skin flick with little to no story. Boy was I wrong.

Sure there is plenty of nudity in the movie, but it was much more than that. Unlike most bimbos who populate movies like this, Daniela was a real human being. She was flawed but beautiful, mature but childish in a way. Over the course of the night she spends with a stranger, she slowly reveals herself through conversations ranging from 80's cartoons and movies to relationships and personal experiences. By the end of the movie, I was surprised that I cared for her more than any other character I've seen in any movie save for one. Blanca Lewin gives an amazing and unforgettable performance in a movie that takes a serious look at relationships and society in general. I highly recommend it.

4/5 stars.

I may have seen only one other film from Chile, and was pleasantly surprised by the interesting concept and fair execution of this one by director Matías Bize. Two strangers at the end of their 20s meet for a one night encounter of casual sex in a motel. They may have done it many times in the past, but this night will prove to be different. The film starts with the two having sex, this is where many other stories in movies end, but here this is just the pretext for a dialog and a possible relationship. A relationship that will probably not last beyond the night, but its temporary nature gives it the occasion of intensity and sincerity. These do not come instantly however, it takes several rounds of dialog (and more sex) to start peeling off the layers of convention and get to the intimate truth, insecurity, intimacy of each one of the two characters. Sex is only the external layer of a relationship, and the most superficial of all, it hides rather than it represents what the man and the woman in the couple really are, and it takes special circumstances and dialog for the truth to pop out - this is the essence of the story that is being told.

Such a movie cannot keep the interest of the viewers even for its about only 80 minutes without good acting, and we get indeed here two excellent actors that pass well the screen and the challenge of explaining their characters beyond the physical appearances, which as with the story is the principal acting problem they face. Playing almost at nude in the perimeter of one motel room and yet building complex and human characters is not an easy task for an actor. Both are more than OK, Bianca Lewis is even close to bright. Director Matias Bize succeeded to make an interesting and different film, I wonder if he will be able to avoid closing himself in the formula or format of experimental films and rather continue to follow the emotional dimension he brought to screen in 'En la cama'.