El penalti más largo del mundo (2005)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Roberto Santiago

Writers:

Roberto Santiago (writer)
Osvaldo Soriano (short story)

Release Date:

9 March 2005 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Trainer | Doorman | Football

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Fernando Tejero	...	Fernando
María Botto	...	Ana
Marta Larralde	...	Cecilia
Carlos Kaniowsky	...	Santos
Javier Gutiérrez	...	Rafa
Enrique Villén	...	Adrián
Fernando Cayo	...	Bilbao
Héctor Colomé	...	Rodríguez
Luis Callejo	...	Khaled
Cristina Alcázar	...	Julia
Benito Sagredo	...	Román
Joxean Bengoetxea		(as Josean Bengoetxea)
Adrián Portugal
Chani Martín	...	Arbitro
Alejandro Casaseca	...	Numero 11

Also Known As:

The Longest Penalty Shot in the World (USA) (festival title)

Runtime:

Spain:100 min | Argentina:100 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

Ensueño Films

Trivia:

While Fernando Tejero was training to stop the goal, he had to go to hospital because his kidney was bleeding.

Movie Connections:

Follows Il rigore più lungo del mondo (2004)

Entertaining soccer comedy

After two breakthrough performances in "Días de fútbol" and TV's "Aquí no hay quien viva", Fernando Tejero lands his first leading role in yet another soccer comedy. He gracefully passes the test and proves that he can successfully carry a movie, but maybe he should start looking for different kinds of characters if he doesn't want to be typecast.

In "El penalti más largo del mundo" he plays Fernando, a complete loser who suddenly has to stand in for the goalkeeper in the decisive match that can grant his team the victory in the local league. The final penalty is postponed for a week, during which the spectators witness the events happening to the substitute goalkeeper.

Those looking for a few laughs will not feel disappointed by this light comedy, which also boasts excellent performances by María Botto, Carlos Kaniowsky, or Enrique Villén. Benito Sagredo is a discovery here as the titular goalie, while Marta Larralde shows that she is no longer a promising actress but a fully skilled performer. However, I had the impression that the writers had lost a great opportunity to get deeper into the social aspects surrounding the character. After all, the film deals with unemployment, racism, and life in a working-class without getting any deeper into the topics. Thus, the film would have offered another layer to the film's topic, making it a lot more interesting.

In any case, this is a perfectly decent movie for those who want to have a good time watching a genuinely Spanish comedy that offers sheer entertainment and nothing else.