Te doy mis ojos (2003)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Icíar Bollaín

Writers:

Icíar Bollaín (writer)
Alicia Luna (co-writer)

Release Date:

10 October 2003 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Donde dice hogar se lee infierno. Donde dice amor hay dolor. (Where it reads 'home' read 'hell'. Where it reads 'love' there is pain)

Plot:

One winter night, Pilar runs away from home. With her, she takes only a few belongings and her son, Juan. Antonio soon sets out to look for her. He says Pilar is his sunshine, and what's more, "She gave him her eyes"... |

Plot Keywords:

Toledo Spain | Female Full Frontal Nudity | Male Full Frontal Nudity | Wife Beater | Domestic Violence

Awards:

39 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Laia Marull	...	Pilar
Luis Tosar	...	Antonio
Candela Peña	...	Ana
Rosa Maria Sardà	...	Aurora
Kiti Manver	...	Rosa
Sergi Calleja	...	Therapist
Elisabet Gelabert	...	Lola
Nicolás Fernández Luna	...	Juan
David Mooney	...	John
Chus Gutiérrez	...	Raquel
Elena Irureta	...	Carmen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roberto Álamo
Javier Batanero
Ricardo Birnbaum	...	Antonio
Francesc Garrido
Aitor Merino
Leire Ucha

Also Known As:

Take My Eyes (International: English title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Cementerio de la Almudena, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Alta Producción

Soundtrack:

Farewell To Gibraltar

A Movie to Keep You Numb Throughout its Playing Time

One of the first negative responses the critics give about the Academy Award is how there is only one award for the rest of the world, that is, Best Foreign Film.

I do like Hollywood films and in fact, about 80% of the movies I watch are Hollywood movies. But this time I am going to write about a Spanish film originally entitled "Te Doy Hasta Mis Ojos", which translates into "Take my Eyes".

The movie is directed by Iciar Bollaín and stars Luis Tosar as Alfonso and Laia Marull as Pilar.

The movie's beginning might as well be a suitable ending with, a determined Pilar and her son running away from home to refugee at Pilar's sister, Ana's house.

The reason and main theme of the movie are soon revealed, Pilar is beaten by her psychotic husband, Alfonso. We then start understanding the difficult, but yet common, couple relationship they live through.

Pilar and Alfonso both love and need each other, which is the main reason why Pilar returns with him. Unfortunately, there are other factors affecting Alfonso, whom even though is attending an anger management program, has several outbursts of anger.

Being the black sheep of his siblings, being at a work he dislikes, and not liking Pilar's new job, which is making him insecure of her faithfulness. The truth is Pilar is only enthusiastic about doing something she likes, her husband misunderstand this leading to the mental disturbing final act.

If I had to briefly describe this movie, I will probably say "Cruelly Real". An uncomfortable feeling is always present. Making you willing to just stop the movie, but at the same time, gluing you to your seat until its ending.

The characters are really well portrayed and even though you feel no sympathy at all for Alfonso, you still try to comprehend the reasons behind his behavior.

I will like to advice it is a really heavy movie but it is surely recommendable, since this is a problem found in societies all around the world, and this movie portrays what a family under this conditions has to live through.