Cinco metros cuadrados (2011) Reviews

• A film about Impotence

  callejaiglesias2013-01-30

  5 Metros Cuadrados (2011), shows a case among thousands of the corruption, speculation, lack of justice, absurd, obscenity, greed and despair you can sadly find into the process of buying a house in Spain, specially during this last decade. The film is focused on an ordinary couple that wants to get married and buy the house where they will live for many years. The movie depicts a picture of Spain itself in this economic crises, and for this select a medium class man with an average odd job in a warehouse, very well played by Fernando Tejero, and a medium class woman with another average odd job in a shop played by Malena Alterio, in another good performance. In this couple we can see a very interesting stage of their relationship, already withered, it feels self convincing in general, and in many moments is about to explode but at the same time they don't want to abandon their comfort area. With these circumstances they decide to buy a house. Spoiler: I could say the film results a great portrait of all this drama and social consequences, but just until its first hour approximately. Until that point the film is convincing and drama runs logical, real and very good detailed, but from that point it feels the director is in a rush for an ending and there is a not very natural turn in Fernando Tejero's character (Alejandro). Then some awkward action comes in, including the disappointing presence of the police, which means a decrease of quality, unfortunately like in most of Spanish movies, and another awkward attempt of having a specific end, which is a pity, usually these cases vanish into oblivion, and this could have been a better end, but in the case of a fatal or sudden end, something different, at least with more care, should have been done. I want to stand out the scene where the couple have an appointment with a woman from the real state company of the troubled house, it shows the way all corporations put obstacles and labyrinths and at the same time these people (like the agency woman) have to deal with their own role into the company mixed with the angry customers there and their own perspective, sometimes totally agree with the customers, showing this deep frustration and big absurd, or in one word, impotence. I give a 6/10 to this film because of that part beyond the hour and some other little mistakes, but all in all it really deserves a watch.

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• Excellent acting

  bpeb2018-08-01

  Before getting married to provide for their future Alex and Virginia have spent all their savings on the option of a flat in a building under construction, but the developers have taken too many short cuts and building is stopped. To get their refund for breach of contract from the speculators the couple seek compensation through the law courts and Alex is slowly driven to extremes. This is not the first time that Cinema deals with the lodging crisis during a Spanish economic crisis (see for instance Esta pareja feliz 1951, El inquilino 1956, La vida por delante 1958, El pisito 1959, Hay que educar a papa 1972, Venta por pisos 1972,

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