★ 7 / 10
A sympathetic quartet of unlucky women carry out a heist with unexpected consequences
ma-cortes
¨El Palo¨is an acceptable and funny comedy with several fun and hilarious set pieces and some pursuits , action scenes , social critique on economical crisis…
¨El Palo¨is an acceptable and funny comedy with several fun and hilarious set pieces and some pursuits , action scenes , social critique on economical crisis and many other things . It deals with an enjoyable group of characters , such as : Lola's (Adriana Ozores) an unlucky mother and recently separated her police officer husband Gustavo (Jaime Pujol) , she cleans a bank every morning as well as a flat inhabited by an allegedly upper class , wealthy mistress called Maite (Carmen Maura) , who discovers she's penniless . While , unfortunate Silvia (Maribel Verdu) works as a hair-dresser , but she is pregnant, and her lover who results to be her chief (Joaquin Climent) won't leave his spouse . And Pecholata (Malena Alterio) , an orphan punk , she seems to be a poor devil who will soon be on the streets . Lola , then decides to rob a bank , convincing the others to join her : they'll use replica guns , dresses as men , take Silvia hostage , and all will be smooth and rapid . But events get worse , including the fact that they are discovered by the bank manager director (Juan Gea) . This agreeable picture concerns a hold-up pulled off by a quartet of unfortunate women but things go awry . There are some nice jokes in the film and the cast , playing eccentric characters , make a cosy fit . It takes a simple concept , a spectacular robbing , being schemed , planned and proceeded by botcher people and in similar style to Spanish classy ¨Atraco a Las Tres¨ by Jose Maria Forque . This is a comical and sometimes disconcerting account of a bunch of middle-lower class women from the personal, social , cultural , and economic perspective , because needing all of them , urgently, a lot of money to resolve their problematic lives . This interesting film packs colorful a images , strange situations , swift frames , twists and turns ; but it also contains some touches of humor and irony . The flick interweaves fun comedy along with a social criticism about the deep Spanish crisis and a little bit of suspense and action . This film is made to entertain , and this movie , especially for a good time and a pleasant entertainment . And it results in a highly original yarn , with a fine message , which is very-well delivered . The flick contains silly incidents , fun plot twists , tongue-in-cheek , emotion , grotesque situations and above all , humor . Sitting in a strange middle ground between the completely absurd and the stylishly cool . This film moves in fits and starts most of which would be desirable and some moments of enjoyment and others quite a few ridiculous . The characters are quite odd , grotesque and geek and the film races on at incredible speed . The main cast is frankly good , as nice acting by Adriana Ozores as a single mom , broke , a hard-working woman as a janitor and maid , likable Maribel Verdu as pregnant young , Carmen Maura as a newly widow who wants to maintain appearances and give her daughter a fancy wedding and Malena Alterio as a Punkie girl living undercover in a youth center .Colorful photography in juicy atmosphere by Gonzalo Berridi, deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameramen , he has photographed successes such as ¨El Viaje De Carol¨, ¨Amantes Circulo Polar¨ , ¨Ardilla Roja¨ , ¨Camaron¨ and ¨8 Apellidos Vascos¨. Lively and catching musical score by Manuel Villalta who has composed in ¨La Gran Vida¨ , ¨Planta 4¨, ¨Oro De Moscu¨ , ¨Nada En Nevera¨ ,¨El Forastero¨ . The motion picture was well directed by Eva Lesmes . Eva Lesmes was born in Gijón, Asturias , location where she usually shoots her films . She is a director and writer, especially for TV , known for ¨Maitena: Estados Alterados¨ (2008), ¨A las Once en Casa¨ (1998) , ¨El Comisario¨ , ¨Casa De Los Lios¨ (1997) and this , ¨El Palo¨ (2001) . Being his best picture another comedy titled : ¨Pon Un Hombre En Tu Vida¨ (1996) . ¨El Palo¨ is a film worth watching and, in turn, is really amusing and truly a hoot to watch . It is probably one of the best satisfying comedian efforts to come out of Spain in the early nineties .
Read full review
5.8/10
749
•••
Thank you