Carne de neón

Ricky, a young man who has grown up in the streets, wants to re-open the old Hiroshima Club (a brothel) with his two close friends in order that his mother, who has just been released from jail, will find a place where to work. Seems a rather simple idea, but enter writer/director Paco Cabezas and this 'comedy' becomes a rather raunchy bloodbath of poor taste saved only by the performances of a group of really talented actors!

To summarize the rather directionless story, try the following: 'Ricky (Mario Casas , a young charismatic Spanish actor who makes this story work) was abandoned at age 12 by his prostitute mother, Pura (Angela Molina). He lives the life of a street boy with help from pimp Angelito (Vicente Romero) and his junkie girl friend Scrag (Macarena Gomez); Angelito's hulking, simple-minded associate, El Niño (Luciano Caceres, another triumph of a performance); and transvestite La Infantita (Damaso Conde) who is trying to make money for a transgender surgery. Ricky is saving up to open a brothel as a gift for Pura when she gets out of jail -- a dangerous move, since they would be encroaching on the territory of tough guy El Chino (Dario Grandinetti). Ricky and Angelito (with some help from buy three Eastern European women for the club: it's suggested they're saving the girls from something worse. Sadly for Ricky, when Pura is released from jail, she's in the early stages of Alzheimer's and can't remember who he is. El Chino gives Ricky a week to raise a huge sum of payoff money for encroaching on his territory. The second half turns on his attempt to raise the cash, involving the kidnapping of Veronica (Blanca Suarez), the teenage daughter of corrupt police inspector Santos (Antonio de la Torre). There is a face-off at the end and it is surprising who survives!

Nearly all of the characters are sympathetic with Ricky, Angelito and the Kid forming an oddly appealing trio. There are many subplots - El Niño falls for a pregnant captive Irina (María Zamarbide ) who upon having her baby bonds with El Niño despite the fact that the baby is put up for sale on the black market while under the loving care of La Infantita, is an example - but in the end this is a rasty, at times funny but at other times crude and distasteful, self indulgent movie from Spain, saved (thankfully) by a super cast of actors! In Spanish with English subtitles. Grady Harp, March 12

The first time that I saw that this movie only had a 5.something in IMDb I thought "maybe is not a good idea" but I gave it a chance and... WOW! Its funny (Sometimes dark, violently funny)thrilling, its been long, maybe since "Fargo" that a movie amazed me this much, the mix of genres is outstanding, it starts with comedy, shifts to thriller and finally to a drama.

The characters are so funny and fragile (Even though sometimes they do terrible things) but thats one of the things that I liked the most, the movie is challenging, you never know where the director is gonna take you and is always surprising. The actors are great, specially Vicente Romero and Angela Molina, they steal the movie.

By the way the ending is one of the best endings I've ever seen, so moving... A great film about bad guys with a huge heart, a must see!

Dramatic film with comedy elements and attractive, charming characters. Pura : Angela Molina, just released from prlson. A simple fact that changes the whole existence of Ricky : Mario Casas, who attempts to please his mother Pura. In a desperate attempt to show an ordinary life he becomes a businessman by trying to create a brothel house to be attended by his mother. Then he joins a group of underdog as well as useless colleagues and prostitutes, such as : a tiny crook : Vicente Romero, his bouncer henchman : Luciano Caceres, a Junkie: Macarena Gomez, a pregnant immigrant : Vanessa Oliveira, and a transvestite called La Infantita : Damaso Conde. Along the way Ricky has to contend a dangerous mobster nicknamed Chino : Dario Grandinetti and a kidnapping of the daughter : Blanca Suarez of a corrupt police inspector : Antonio de la Torre with whom Chino seeks vengeance.

Intense and sleaze drama with emotion, thrills, gross-out scenes and violence. The picture benefits itself from sympathetic though unfortunate characters who suffer distresses, mistreating and pains. Stars Mario Casas giving an acceptable acting in his usual style as the young hustler-turned-entrepreneur who joins some botcher buddies attempting to open a brothel by hoping to earn his mother's respect, being well interpreted by the veteran Angela Molina. Accompanied by a large support cast delivering nice performances such as Vicente Romero, Blanca, Suarez, Antonio de la Torre, Luciano Caceres and Dario Grandinetti as an extremely villain role as gangster Chino. This film is based on the Short titled Carne de Neon (2005) also directed by Paco Cabezas with Oscar Jaenada, Victoria Abril and Vicente Romero, Macarena Gomez repeating roles.

It contains a brilliant and adequate cinematography by Daniel Aranyo, shot in Spain and Buenos Aires Argentine. As well as moving and catching musical score by Daniel Araujo and Javier de la Rosa. The motion picture was well made by Paco Cabezas and it was nominee in Toulouse Festival 2011 to best director . His first successful film was Aparecidos, and directing this Neon Flesh to be loved by Nicolas Cage who hired him to make a Hollywood film, Tokarev . There Cabezas made another hit : Mr Right. Subsequently he made various TV episodes from famous TV series as Penny Dreadful, American gods, The strain, Fear of the walking dead, Penny Dreadful : city of Los Angeles, among others. Rating :6.5/10. Decent Spanish film that will appeal to Mario Casas fans.

A lot of low lifes in this film with a gritty crime thriller. pretty good characters and acting. there are some decent twists and turns too.

There are somethings i like about this movie...It is very well filmed. the story its located in Europe but is filmed in south America and I think successfully...I suppose this decision was taken for questions of budget. I really like this part, i think its smart and works very well. On the other side I had the sensation of someone putting together a collection of well produced images but without a basic idea of how to build a narrative. Some kind of Guy Ritchie film without bones...without a script.

At the end a sensation of pretentious chaos, weak characters in a labyrinth without solution . I appreciate ambition but only in the consciousness of its creative limitations. Good effort and good technical skills on the way to nowhere.