PASSION, REVENGE CROSS IN `FLESH'.Byline: Bob Strauss Daily News Film Critic Spanish filmmaking delinquent Pedro Almodovar (``Women on the Verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of a Nervous Breakdown nervous breakdown n. A severe or incapacitating emotional disorder, especially when occurring suddenly and marked by depression. nervous breakdown ,'' ``Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!'') takes another step toward maturity with his latest movie about misguided passion, ``Live Flesh.'' It's a smart, mildly subversive slice of sexy romanticism and wry enough to be constantly amusing in that naughty Almodovar way. But `Live Flesh,'' which is based on a Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, CBE, who also writes under the pseudonym Barbara Vine, (born February 17, 1930), is an English best-selling mystery and psychological crime writer, often called the Queen of Crime. novel, also presents evidence that maturity may not be a quality we want in Almodovar. Though livelier than his last feature, the soap opera-ish ``Flower of My Secret,'' this movie suffers from what might be termed too subtle an approach to outrageousness. Yes, that sounds like a contradiction in terms Noun 1. contradiction in terms - (logic) a statement that is necessarily false; "the statement `he is brave and he is not brave' is a contradiction" contradiction logic - the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference , but it's kind of apt for something that's interesting rather than engaging to watch unfold. Though ``Flesh'' is never dull, it does lack the breathtaking zing that the director's older, bolder method of shaking us up provided. The opening scene is arguably ``Flesh's'' wildest. On New Year's Eve 1970, the Franco dictatorship declares a state of emergency in Madrid, which makes it all but impossible for a pregnant prostitute to get to a hospital. She delivers her baby on an out-of-service bus, resulting in a lifetime free travel pass for her and her new son. Twenty years TWENTY YEARS. The lapse of twenty years raises a presumption of certain facts, and after such a time, the party against whom the presumption has been raised, will be required to prove a negative to establish his rights. 2. later, Spain is much freer and, accordingly, citizens are misbehaving more overtly. The Bus Boy has grown into a needy young man, Victor (Liberto Rabal), who is hopelessly hung up on his first and only sexual conquest Noun 1. sexual conquest - a seduction culminating in sexual intercourse; "calling his seduction of the girl a `score' was a typical example of male slang" score seduction, conquest - an act of winning the love or sexual favor of someone , the drug-addicted daughter of an Italian diplomat, Elena (Francesca Neri), who barely remembers their encounter. Two cops, the violently jealous Sancho (Jose Sancho) and the seemingly upright David (Javier Bardem), get involved in the resulting argument. There's a scuffle, shots ring out, David is paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. from the waist down, and Victor ends up spending five years in prison. When the angry but not necessarily vengeful Victor is released, he vows to become the world's greatest lover and win Elena's heart. This will not be easy, since she's married her hero David, now a world-class wheelchair basketball Wheelchair basketball is a sport played primarily by people with disabilities. In some countries such as Canada, Australia and England, able-bodied athletes are allowed to compete alongside other athletes on mixed teams. player and an innovative sexual satisfier in his own right. In pursuit of his goal, Victor takes up with the older, experienced Clara (Angela Molina), who happens to be married to the still-brutal Sancho. Got all that? It gets much more complicated romantically, criminally and - especially - emotionally. Along the crooked way, Almodovar upends our sympathies. David turns into something far uglier than the shining icon of selfless suffering and recovery he appears to be, while Victor's heart proves truer than his actions, and even the awful Sancho earns some empathy. Meanwhile, the two women spin out in an ever-widening tizzy tiz·zy n. pl. tiz·zies Slang A state of nervous excitement or confusion; a dither. [Origin unknown. of emotional confusion. As with all Almodovar, ``Flesh'' boasts some steamy, intriguing lovemaking love·mak·ing n. 1. Sexual activity, especially sexual intercourse. 2. Courtship; wooing. lovemaking Noun 1. sequences. But they don't have the comically perverse charge of the sex in ``Matador matador In bullfighting, the principal performer, who works the capes and attempts to dispatch the bull with a sword thrust between the shoulder blades. Most of the techniques used by modern matadors were established in the 1910s by Juan Belmonte (b. 1894–d. ,'' ``Law of Desire'' or even the over-the-top and out-of-Earth's-atmosphere ``Kika.'' As ``Live Flesh'' winds inexorably toward a climax bathed in guilt and hot blood, we appreciate the way Almodovar has built up every character's complex motives and conflicting desires. We'd like it a lot more, though, if he had just cooked it all a few degrees weirder. THE FACTS The film: ``Live Flesh'' (R; sex, nudity, violence, drug use). The stars: Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal, Angela Molina, Jose Sancho. Behind the scenes: Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, based on Ruth Rendell's novel. Produced by Esther Garcia. Released by Goldwyn Films. Running time: One hour, 42 minutes. Playing: Royal, West L.A. Our rating: Three Stars. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Elena (Francesa Neri) and Victor (Liberto Rabal) draw close to one another in ``Live Flesh,'' a film full of emotional uncertainty. |
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