This Spanish screwball comedy revolving around phone sex has enough laughs and a leading man with enough sex appeal to generate some significant specialized boxoffice when Miramax releases it domestically this year. Recently, it was one of the biggest crowd-pleasers at the 14th Miami Film Festival.
Manuel Gomez Pereira's film follows the misadventures of Victor Javier Bardem, star of "Jamon, Jamon"), a chronically unemployed actor in Madrid who is on the verge of a big American acting assignment, thanks to the efforts of his flamboyant and tireless agent (Maria Barranco). Because there are several weeks before the audition and Victor's out of money, he takes a job at a phone sex service to supplement his income and stretch his acting muscles. When one of his clients turns out to be a sexy-sounding woman named Amanda (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon), he agrees to meet her after hours. Their passion erupts, and Victor soon finds himself embroiled in a complicated plot involving Amanda's adulterous husband, who, it turns out, is one of Victor's other clients, and the bumbling hitman who is pursuing him.
With all of this going on, Victor must also deal with his increasingly suspicious agent, the arrogant young director that he must impress, and the ditzy blond starlet with whom he's going to co-star with.
The many gags involving phone sex won't be funny to anyone who has sat through any of the several other films that have come out in recent years dealing with the same topic, and the wildly farcical plot impresses more with its madcap energy than its logic or construction. But it does provide the opportunity for numerous hilarious gags that spotlight the director's talent for broad comedy.
"Mouth to Mouth" (Boca a Boca) is aided immeasurably by the talents of its star; Bardem is one of the few leading men who can be equally charismatic, sexy and goofy. His ability and willingness to make fun of himself is immensely winning, and this film should boost his international cachet significantly. Nearly as amusing is Barranco as the flighty agent, and Sanchez-Gijon provides a sultry presence as the love interest.
MOUTH TO MOUTH
Miramax Films
Director Manuel Gomez Pereira
Producers Cesar Benitez, Joaquin Oristrell,
Manuel Gomez Pereira
Screenplay Joaquin Oristrell, Juan Luis Iborra,
Naomi Wise, Manuel Gomez Pereira
Executive producers Cesar Benitez,
Fernando Garcillan
Cinematographer Juan Amoros
Editing Guillermo Represa
Music Bernardo Bonezzi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Victor Javier Bardem
Ricardo Josep Maria Flotats
Amanda Aitana Sanchez-Gijon
Angela Maria Barranco
Running time -- 95 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Manuel Gomez Pereira's film follows the misadventures of Victor Javier Bardem, star of "Jamon, Jamon"), a chronically unemployed actor in Madrid who is on the verge of a big American acting assignment, thanks to the efforts of his flamboyant and tireless agent (Maria Barranco). Because there are several weeks before the audition and Victor's out of money, he takes a job at a phone sex service to supplement his income and stretch his acting muscles. When one of his clients turns out to be a sexy-sounding woman named Amanda (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon), he agrees to meet her after hours. Their passion erupts, and Victor soon finds himself embroiled in a complicated plot involving Amanda's adulterous husband, who, it turns out, is one of Victor's other clients, and the bumbling hitman who is pursuing him.
With all of this going on, Victor must also deal with his increasingly suspicious agent, the arrogant young director that he must impress, and the ditzy blond starlet with whom he's going to co-star with.
The many gags involving phone sex won't be funny to anyone who has sat through any of the several other films that have come out in recent years dealing with the same topic, and the wildly farcical plot impresses more with its madcap energy than its logic or construction. But it does provide the opportunity for numerous hilarious gags that spotlight the director's talent for broad comedy.
"Mouth to Mouth" (Boca a Boca) is aided immeasurably by the talents of its star; Bardem is one of the few leading men who can be equally charismatic, sexy and goofy. His ability and willingness to make fun of himself is immensely winning, and this film should boost his international cachet significantly. Nearly as amusing is Barranco as the flighty agent, and Sanchez-Gijon provides a sultry presence as the love interest.
MOUTH TO MOUTH
Miramax Films
Director Manuel Gomez Pereira
Producers Cesar Benitez, Joaquin Oristrell,
Manuel Gomez Pereira
Screenplay Joaquin Oristrell, Juan Luis Iborra,
Naomi Wise, Manuel Gomez Pereira
Executive producers Cesar Benitez,
Fernando Garcillan
Cinematographer Juan Amoros
Editing Guillermo Represa
Music Bernardo Bonezzi
Color/stereo
Cast:
Victor Javier Bardem
Ricardo Josep Maria Flotats
Amanda Aitana Sanchez-Gijon
Angela Maria Barranco
Running time -- 95 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 2/13/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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