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

Honest and powerful

This movie takes a brutally honest approach at the tragic reality of spousal abuse. This topic has been addressed before, but this movie deals with the subject matter better than any other I can recall seeing.

An effective performance by Luis Tosar, as the abusive husband Antonio, develops the layers of emotions in this imposing and frightening character in an effort to understand why this violence is occurring. While certainly not presenting an advocate's position to defend his cruel and vicious behavior, the film also resists the temptation of exploiting the volatile outbreaks. The film shows degrading speech and physical battery to the wife, while not going overboard with bloody, gory attack just for their own sake. He attends support groups to discuss with a psychologist and other abusers the root causes of the action, and makes a sincere effort to change his ways. Gradually, the motivations for his irrational action, although becoming clearly understood, are still properly advanced as totally unacceptable.

Laia Marull, as the abused wife, is not stereotyped, either. She is shown as an intelligent and capable person, making an honest effort to confront the situation, while struggling with the conflict of somehow preserving the marriage. There are many artistic metaphors about the passion of their marriage reflecting the very problem they are dealing with. I also like the wife's museum tour presentations, where she is clearly talking not only of the paintings, but of her own aspirations. Both of the principals are splendid in their roles, especially in their interaction with one another.

Much could be written of the rich double-layered symbolism of several other scenes. Suffice it to say this is a beautifully done movie with an ending, that in all its simplicity, took me by surprise. It was the proper ending, too, I think, for reasons you will understand when you see the movie. Definitely worth viewing.