Sexo con amor

The first thing one would have to ask about this movie is is it well written? The answer to that would have to be no. The next question would have to be is it entertaining? The answer to that would have to be hell, yes. A bawdy comedy about the various sex problems of three different couples and how they battle to overcome them. Many of the scenes are predictable and very much angled towards the sexual at the expense of probability. This is what one would have to call low comedy, but even so it holds the attention, wanting to know how the individual stories will eventually be resolved. Some of the scenes are just laugh-out loud ridiculous - one especially with a sexually frustrated husband too short to initially climb on top of a washing machine to have sex with his niece, another with a faithless husband trying to reach urgent orgasm with his secretary in order to reach the phone across the room before it stops ringing. This isn't a good movie but it's very enjoyable and a decent enough way to pass the time. One can only speculate on the disturbance this movie must have caused on its initial release in the Catholic countries of South America. An amusing alternative to all the dreck that Hollywood turns out.

Even though the aesthetics of film-making in Sexo con Amor remain vaguely familiar and borrowed -- there's the nice, clean 3-point lighting set ups for each of the scenes with a focus that's just a little soft to give the romantic feel of Barry Lyndon, shot-reverse-shot is a dominant structure of the scenes, the melodrama (although invented in cinema by D.W. Griffith, it's not really a style of Hollywood anymore, it's becoming a Spanish expressionism almost, with soap operas and Almodovar inevitably influencing rising directors more than anything else), and the adherence to story -- the cultural references are undoubtedly different and original than are those seen in the leading American films.

For one, the always-taboo subject of nudity is handled very crudely (but honestly), with almost every other scene including people getting into in-depth discussions while naked or half-naked. It defies the exploitive nature of American film nudity not only because of its overwhelming amount, but the way in which it's used. At one point Luisa's (Sigrid Alegría) breast falls out of her lingerie, as it probably would in real life, while she turns in bed, and not only has it survived the cut, but was probably intentional during the making.

In another scene where uncle and niece get it on together, incest is made seen as if it's almost unnatural to live without. Though to say more about that relationship, it's probably only used in reference to sex (and niece was probably put in there to be a plot device, the sole possibility for the lone man to get access to a woman). A moral compass for that particular relationship is not shown at all. In fact, it's mostly about an older man who copes with cheating on his wife, while there is no hint he's hesitant at doing it with someone like his niece.

Although I wrote above that it adheres to a strict storyline, the conclusion of the plot is not like in the American movies as well, it's open and suggests lack of character growth rather than concluding with a specific point of original intention. And it works, a good question is better than a good answer in this case. Sexo con Amor is a different type of animal, a film rich in Chilean culture and must be viewed without bias from Hollywood-like structures.

In Santiago, Chile, the schoolteacher Luisa (Sigrid Alegría) proposes a debate about sex with the parents of her students with the intention of giving classes about sex education to the youngsters. Luisa is a young independent woman that is split between the love for her also young mate, the painter Valentín (Francisco Pérez-Bannen), and for her experienced lover, the middle-age father of one of her students and successful writer Jorge (Patricio Contreras). Jorge still lives with his wife Mónica (Loreto Valenzuela), but their marriage ended and they do not even talk to each other, but his affair with Luisa is limited to sex. In the meeting, the parents are divided in groups, and Luisa stays with Jorge, and the couples Álvaro (Álvaro Rudolphy) and his pregnant wife Elena (Cecilia Amenábar) and the butcher Emilio (Boris Quercia) and his frigid wife Maca (María Izquierdo). Álvaro is a wolf man, harasses all the beautiful women that he meets for one night stand, unfaithful and neglecting his wife at home. When Luisa finds that she is pregnant and Valentin is going to work in São Paulo, she makes a decision with her sentimental life. When Elena meets her former friend from university Carlos Rojas (Carlos Osorio), Álvaro becomes jealous and tries to commit with Elena. When the liberated and independent niece Susan (Javiera Díaz de Valdés) spends a couple of days in his home, the faithful Emilio is seduced by the sexy and gorgeous young woman, while Maca finds her sexuality, reading magazines and going to the gynecologist.

"Sexo Con Amor" is a magnificent surprise, a delightful romance with stunning screenplay and outstanding performances of a cast absolutely unknown (at least for me). The simple and refreshing story perfectly balances romance and comedy with elements of soap opera, eroticism and a wonderful chemistry of talented and beautiful actresses and actors and it is impossible not laugh and love this film. There are hilarious scenes, like the discussion when the Catholic priest arrives to the parents meeting and Álvaro opposes with his strong position. The themes love and sex are entwined in funny situations, with Álvaro being the stereotype of the Latin macho-man; Emilio and Maca represent the conservative middle-class of Chile; and the extremely sexy Sigrid Alegría and Javiera Díaz de Valdés the new generation that reflect times of new ideas and changing in the society. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Sexo Com Amor" ("Sex With Love")

A group of parents goes to their children's school to talk about how to face the topic of sex in front of the kids. But all the grown ups in the room, teacher included, are way behind of being capable to even mention what's the best thing to do about sexuality.

Sexo con Amor (Sex With Love) is an assembled cast movie with excellent performances. Main characters played by Sigrid Alegría and Alvaro Rudolphy, the unfaithful teacher and the adulterous office man, are astounding. But laurels should be given to director- screen writer- lead character Boris Quercia, who plays an unsatisfied husband tempted with a gorgeous niece who comes from France. His frigid wife is acted wonderfully by María Izquierdo, a sort of Chilean Carol Burnette.

Music is even better. The soundtrack includes several songs of `Los Petinellis' one of the most popular rock bands in Chile these days.

Unfaithfulness, safe sex, terrible sex, great sex, gay sex, Santiago is exposed as a crowded city of imperfect inhabitants with great candor.

The tagline gives a trend about part of the mood within the film (La pelicula que no acaba./ the movie which doesn't come.) Well, it's interesting how wide is the range of myths or taboos included in every piece of conversation about sex. Whether is an uptight fellow or an open mind one, there is always a tiny bit of lack of honesty at the moment of talking about our own sexuality.

The biggest box office hit in Chilean cinema. The reason is a conventional and horny country whose people yell out asking for a movie that show a bit of sincerity. And we have got it.

8/ 10

Simple and funny comedy that take a real picture of many Latin American people. This could be the beginning of the "destape", see this is observe how Chileans starting in sex. She and He. Both, you could have a good moment buying this movie.

Boris Quercia, director, is an actor that could be a good director if continue this way, anyway, you also may see: "El Rey De ls Huevones", his 2006 movie that too have excellent press coverage more for his quality and unrestricted way to show Chileans way to do things.

And please don't believe that guatemalteco guy that say this is a bad movie, over 3 million people saw that movie only in Chile.