Amor en concreto (2003)

Director:

Franco de Pena

Writers:

Tomasz Kepski (writer)
Andrés Schaffer (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Franco de Pena's movie deals with three very different love stories, all taking place on the Avenida Libertador, the main avenue of Caracas. |

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Aroldo Betancourt	...	Alvaro, the husband
Alejandro Chabán	...	Tony, the boy
Alejandra Espejo	...	Yamila
Alejo Felipe	...	Tony's Father
Carmen Landaeta	...	Carmen, the bolero singer
Gregorio Milano	...	Héctor
Carlos Miranda	...	Carlos, the taxi driver
Gladys Prince	...	Carmen
Beatriz Valdés	...	Claudia, the doctor
Erich Wildpret	...	Clemencia

Also Known As:

Love in Concrete (International: English title)
Unmögliche Liebesgeschichten (Germany)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

France | Germany | Venezuela

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Filming Locations:

Caracas, Venezuela

Company:

Acrobates Film

Concrete love

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Amor en concreto", directed by Franco de Pena, recalls other films, most notably, "Amores perros". This Venezuelan entry deals with a subject that has fascinated other directors in different ways as it concentrates on a single incident, a near fatal car accident, that brings together the lives of all the people that almost collide with one another during that night where the action takes place.

When Tony, the rebellious son of what appears to be a conservative father argues with him in the car the older man is driving, he tells the young man to get off, almost provoking an accident as the two cars and the motorcycle behind them almost crash against the vehicle standing in the middle of a busy highway. Tony, who has to continue on foot, discovers the seamy street life of the drag queens that are walking nearby. Clemencia, one of them, notices Tony as he is about to jump from an overpass. She saves him from an impending death.

Most touching of all is the story of the older Argentine taxi driver, Carlos, who for many years has admired from afar Carmen, a singer that never has given him any attention. When toward the end Carlos comes to see her with a wedding gown, she is overwhelmed, but wants nothing from him, until she gets to see another angle of this man who obviously has loved her in silence.

The other main story in the film concerns a lady doctor who is obviously going through a rough period with her husband. When she decides to pack it in, she goes to the bank and withdraws a large sum of money only to be attacked by a man, who was seen before as the one in the motorcycle. He turns out to be a man suffering from epilepsy and the doctor takes him to a hotel because of the traffic jam in the street.

In spite of the good intentions of Mr. de Pena, the director, and his screen writers, the film loses some of its early promise because the resolution doesn't convince the viewer. It's a good effort nonetheless as there are good parts that don't help in the large picture.