Un buen novio

At this time of the year the media is full of all sorts of prizes - Goyas this way, Oscars that way, Golden Globes and things like that; amidst much lamenting here in Spain that only about 10% of the public go to see Spanish films, as 80% of the market as always is the North American supermarket blockbusters.

Quite frankly, with this film in particular - not to mention others as I am a bit busy - I am not at all surprised. I mean, after several he-types have jumped on Natalia Verbeke at frequent intervals, one does tend to lose track of any story that there may be, in this case there was not. Too many steamy sex-scenes, angry blokes giving the poor dear hard slaps across her pretty face, and so on, that it does not surprise me that the operator of the steady-cam was definitely unsteady and wobbling all over the place.

Part of the problem, well, I really mean most of the problem, resides in the fact that the responsible Cinematographic Arts Agency insists on going in for all kinds of subsidies on all kinds of films so as to produce more of them. It is totally illogical to presuppose that more is better, when, evidently, all the facts point in the opposite direction. There is something rather malevolently fishy about all kinds of subsidies, whether for potatoes, beef or films: you end up producing more than what is good for you.

There is no argument against the fact that in the last 25 years Spain has produced excellent films which have attained applause in many countries, including the United States of America. But if of the 300 films a year (or however many they may be) this country produces, around a dozen or so are worthwhile, and another twenty or so are more or less acceptable, it should be evident that some 270 are a complete waste of time, effort and money, and should never have been born.

`Un Buen Novio' is one of them.

This misguided comedy, written and directed by Jesus Delgado, is one of the worst films that have ever been produced in Spain. Obviously, this movie was made thanks to help of money available for young talent that have no way to make their films, otherwise. If there was an argument against these subsidies, this film will be a perfect example.

First of all, the plot is so convoluted, it makes no sense. The whole thing is just preposterous because we just can't believe in anything that is going on. Just think about poor Veronica, who being the girlfriend of Alex, a detective, has no qualms in making out with a man that is under suspicion for having robbed a bank, Roberto, who also was involved romantically with the young woman years ago.

The film is a mess. The director's idea to fill the gaps in the script is to have all his characters cursing all the time. This is a film to avoid at all costs.