Mala uva (2004) User Reviews

Silly but enjoyable black comedy

[MidwestGeek · 7/10 · 22 July 2012]

My wife & I enjoyed this comedy, even though the characters were outlandish caricatures, the story was preposterous, and the ending was absurd. It is generally hard to sustain comedy, which is why so few good ones are made, but this movie kept our interest. Even though the theme is dark, it reminded me of slapstick--it's funny even though you sort of know what to expect. There probably wasn't enough material for 94 minutes, but there was enough to keep us laughing. The lead was played by the venerable actor, Sancho Gracia, now 75 years old, who was also one of the writers, apparently his only noteworthy effort in this direction. The supporting actors were also quite good, especially Ágata Lys as the police detective.

Bitter grape

[jotix100 · 5/10 · 15 April 2011]

Cesar a man living on the countryside has problem with the grape he has planted. With the prospects of marrying his young daughter Luz, he finds himself unable to give her the wedding he gave his other children. Unknown to his family, Cesar is hiding a secret of his former life, he was a gun for hire, but has retired for a few years to tend his vineyard.

Cesar, in desperation, decides to accept a contract that has been offered to him. For that he must go underground to do it, by going to Barcelona, where he rents an apartment that overlooks that of his intended victim. Instead of killing the man right away, Cesar struggles with his conscience, especially after having met the man at the local cafe where both killer and victim are thrown together. What is more, Cesar likes the man he is about to kill.

The film, directed by Javier Domingo is a comedy that must have been a vehicle for the star, Sancho Gracia, a veteran actor from Spain that has worked a lot on the Spanish cinema. The film is mildly funny, but do not look for anything out of the ordinary, just relax and have a few laughs.