Law of Desire (La Ley del Deseo)
- Director: Pedro Almodóvar
- Spain, 1987
There’s much to like about the performances in Law of Desire. Eusebio Poncela plays a marvellously ambivalent, sexually ambiguous film director as his insouciance gives way to raw emotion while Carmen Maura takes well to her role as his gold-hearted, rough diamond sister.
But the real turn here is delivered by Antonio Banderas who, in portraying his second of three exemplary Almodóvar nutters, does a fine job of representing reckless jealousy with a worrying streak of sincerity.
So much for great acting, because the story holds about as much water as a bucket with a hole. Nevertheless, Almodóvar manages to plug it for a while at least and his treatment of similar themes – in 2004’s Bad Education – would prove more fruitful next time.
See also:
La Flor de mi Secreto (the Flower of my Secret)
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Spain, 1995 You get the very distinct sense when watching La Flor that Almodóvar is onto something. And so the maturity and virtuosity of his output has increased with ...
- Originally published: 15 Aug 2007 in Film
Pepi, Luci, Bom
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Spain, 1981 This is where it all began, the first in a long line of zany, colourful and passionate tales whose collective carnival forms the prodigious output of Almodóvar. Pepi, ...
- Originally published: 21 Aug 2006 in Film
Volver
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Spain, 2006 Almodóvar ‘returns’ once more with an(other) extraordinary story about women and he coaxes a fine performance from leading lady Penélope Cruz. In Volver, the director substitutes the ...
- Originally published: 29 Aug 2006 in Film
Dark Habits
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Spain, 1983 This colourful film, about a nightclub singer on the run who holes up in a convent only to find the nuns are worse sinners than her, is ...
- Originally published: 12 Sep 2006 in Film
Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown
Director: Pedro Almodóvar Spain, 1988 This is a decorated film – five Goyas and an Oscar nomination – and an international breakthrough for the director, but it didn’t sit too well with ...
- Originally published: 7 Sep 2006 in Film
Who is that guy?
Hello you. I'm Mike Padgett and I work in the technology sector as an Information Designer.
I also enjoy travel, concerts, films and walking.
I'm based in Brussels, Belgium. My current favourite Belgian beer is St Feuillien Brune.
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