Law of Desire (1987)
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Law of Desire Movie Review
Law of Desire is a 1987 Spanish comedy thriller film directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura and Eusebio Poncela. It’s a wildly entertaining movie.
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“It’s not your fault if you don’t love me
and it’s not my fault if I love you“
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A gay filmmaker becomes involved with an obsessive fan while still pining for his absent true love. Meanwhile, he shares a close but complex relationship with his trans sister, an actress. This movie was released in the eighties during the early period of Almodovar’s career when he was edgier and more provocative. Thus, it has that feel of sensationalism and campiness that I absolutely ate up.
The story would put this project somewhere in the melodrama genre, but there are abundant comedic elements along with a substantial thriller subplot in the second half that I would personally call it a comedy thriller. Obviously these two genres aren’t really fitting for one another, resulting in a film that is at times at odds with each other and what it really wants to be, but more often than not the individual elements were so outstanding that the viewing experience is not only so much fun, but highly memorable as well.
Pablo is the straight character of the bunch, meaning that he is the most boring and forgettable of the three major personalities. Eusebio Poncela played him very well, but the character isn’t particularly memorable. But Antonio Banderas as his passionate, dangerous lover was incredible. He was so believable in this role of a crazed gay man who would direct his possessive nature into violent territory. The dynamic between the two is so erotic, leading to many electric sequences throughout.
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While the romance between Antonio and Pablo takes the bulk of the runtime, there is also a substantial screen time devoted to Pablo’s sister Tina. Carmen Maura was as phenomenal as she always was in this unforgettable role of a transgender woman who would stop at nothing to protect her brother.
Clearly the family’s backstory with the incest was ridiculously sensational and soapy, but their sibling bond transcended those trashier plot points with full force. Their love and support are the heart and soul of the film. The dialogue was at its best when it was concerned with these two characters.
Law of Desire is trashy, there is no denying that. It is over-the-top and implausible at times, but for every soapy element that Almodovar included, he also added a lot of poignancy and simply his electric directing and style elevated the material at hand. While the thematic resonance is almost non-existent, the film is still highly engaging due to its juicy storyline and very well developed characters. The cinematography and score are quite terrific while the movie’s exuberant energy and stylish execution made it quite cinematic.
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Law of Desire is one of Almodovar’s most provocative and entertaining movies. While some plot points are soapy and downright trashy, there is no denying the film’s immense entertainment value. The performances from Antonio Banderas and Carmen Maura are superb while the sibling bond at the core of the movie is quite heartwarming. Almodovar also directed the film with a lot of style and exuberance, significantly elevating the overly sensational material at hand.
My Rating – 4
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#1. What other Almodovar movies did Carmen Maura star in?
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