NICOTINA
--------
Shy computer nerd Lolo (Diego Luna, "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights") has a
secret crush on his more mature neighbor Andrea (Marta Belaustegui), but
when she discovers his hi-tech spying, she trashes his trove of
misappropriated mementos, setting off a chain reaction like a lit fuse in
"Nicotina."
Writer Martin Salinas and director Hugo Rodriguez take a page from the Guy
Ritchie handbook adding a dash of romance from sister country Spain's
"Kilometer Zero" for their crisscrossing characters' crises one night in
Mexico City. After taking way too long to spark its many subplots,
"Nicotina" smolders into an addictive romp that is at turns lightweight and
grisly.
Lolo hacks into a Swiss Bank so that his buddy Nene (Lucas Crespi) can
make a deal with the Russian mob for 22 diamonds. A switched diskette
turns a nervous deal into a violent bloodbath. Gangster Svobdo escapes
into a barbershop whose mistress Carmen (Rosa Maria Bianchi) sees his loot
as her ticket out, while Nene retreats into the arms of lovely pharmacist's
wife Clara (Annette Benning lookalike Carmen Madrid, "The Virgin of Lust").
Lonely Lolo makes his way home for an explosive climax.
Salinas follows a well-worn path, but has some fun incorporating the
titular drug as a connective device among his thieves, lovers and
tradesmen. Nene debates the effects of smoking on one's health with his
older, smoke-free partner Thompson (Jesus Ochoa, "Herod's Law") like
Travola expounding on the Royale with cheese in "Pulp Fiction." Nene then
connects with the luminous Clara over their shared love of Tropicales,
cigarettes her husband Beto (Enoc Leano) forbids her to smoke in their
store. Meanwhile, in Luq, the barbershop, Carmen is aghast when her
husband Goyo (Rafael Inclan) gives a senior citizen a free haircut while
she can't come up with change for a pack of smokes. Director Rodriguez
even begins his film foreshadowing its ending with an unlit cigarette and
pot of boiling water.
Unfortunately, the film's biggest name, Diego Luna, is given the least
interesting story thread, although the charming young actor continues to
impress, once again delivering a character unlike any that have come
before. In "Nicotina," it is Crespi's turn to be the heartthrob and he has
beautiful chemistry with the older Madrid. Ochoa makes such a strong
impression as Nene's paternal partner that director Rodriguez is able to
tease tears with a posthumous phone message. Bianchi, as a woman unleashed
by greed, and Inclan, as her disbelieving spouse, give the film some
surprising doses of energy.
"Nicotina" is assembled with jazzy extreme fisheye closeups and split
screens, but never achieves the balls-to-the-wall eye dazzle of forerunner
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." Like the film, the score takes a
while to find its legs, then settles in with a confident beat. The
production is modest and the concept familiar, but "Nicotina" is never a drag.
B-
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