SEX AND LUCÍA (2001) / *** aka LUCÍA Y EL SEXO [Spanish; English subtitles]
Directed by Julio Medem, from his screenplay. Starring Paz Vega, Tristán Ulloa, Najwa Nimri. Running time: 128 minutes. This film is not yet rated by the MFCB. Reviewed on March 7th, 2003.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: Some weeks after an anonymous dalliance with Elena (Nimri) on a secluded island, Lorenzo (Ulloa), an author, falls in love with Lucía (Vega) and the two move in together. But when Lorenzo discovers that Elena has given birth to a child, he becomes determined to find the girl, Luna (Silvia Llanos). This leads to a hesitant relationship with Luna's babysitter, Belén (Elena Anaya). Soon these events worm their way into Lorenzo's new novel, resulting in tragedy and mystery.
Review: Ponderous and labyrinthine, "Sex And Lucía" is an unusual and self-contradictory creation. As the title implies, it is littered with sex scenes, but they vary from the enticingly erotic to the disturbingly uncomfortable. The story itself is a strange and elusive beast: what initially seems like a straightforward narrative about a troubled relationship ultimately evolves into a dream-like tale about converging lives and the power of the written word. Somewhere along the way, Medem blends the novel that Lorenzo is working on with the actual events of his life, and by the movie's end, it is impossible to tell which is which. Generally this is handled well, but the introduction of some concepts -- such as a story Elena is reading whose structure is intended to mirror that of the movie -- comes so late as to feel rather contrived. Medem's direction is at times masterful, emphasising symbols such as the moon and the sun to lend "Sex And Lucía" a certain visual potency. But his realisation of the film is generally too harsh, the digital camerawork causing many sequences to feel washed-out and brutal -- especially those on the island, which seem as though they should possess an otherworldly quality. The editing here is also far too loose, making "Sex And Lucía" an exhausting -- if not unrewarding -- experience.
Copyright © 2003 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html
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