Azuloscurocasinegro (2006)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Daniel Sánchez Arévalo

Writer:

Daniel Sánchez Arévalo (writer)

Release Date:

19 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Just as his childhood sweetheart Natalia returns, his infertile brother Antonio asks Jorge to impregnate Paula, Antonio's imprisoned girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Photograph | Janitor | Gay Interest | Clipping Nose Hair | Broken Window

Awards:

19 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Quim Gutiérrez	...	Jorge
Marta Etura	...	Paula
Antonio de la Torre	...	Antonio
Héctor Colomé	...	Andrés
Raúl Arévalo	...	Israel
Eva Pallarés	...	Natalia
Manuel Morón	...	Fernando
Ana Wagener	...	Ana
Roberto Enríquez	...	Roberto
Natalia Mateo	...	Funcionaria
Alba Gárate	...	Alba
Marta Aledo	...	Empleada del banco
Carmen Arévalo	...	Maestra de ceremonias
Joaquín Notario	...	Jefe de personal 1
Esther Ortega	...	Jefa de personal 2

Also Known As:

Azul oscuro casi negro (Spain) (alternative spelling)
Dark Blue Almost Black (USA) (new title)
DarkBlueAlmostBlack (USA) (festival title)
Azul (France) [fr]
Azul Escuro Quase Preto (Brazil) (festival title) [pt]
DarkBlueAlmostBlack (Finland) [fi]
Dunkelblaufastschwarz (Germany) [de]
GranatowyPrawieCzarny (Poland) [pl]
Mörktblånästansvart (Sweden) [sv]
MørkeBlåNæstenSort (Denmark) [da]
Sötétkékmajdnemfekete (Hungary) [hu]
Skourobleshedonmavro (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Spain:13 | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:15 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Canal+ España

Movie Connections:

References "Un, dos, tres... responda otra vez" (1972)

Soundtrack:

Imaginarte

A splendid debut

I was very impressed by the first feature by writer/director Daniel Sanchez Arevalo when I saw it at the Toronto Film Festival. A tender, intimate portrayal of characters trapped by circumstance or their own feelings of responsibility, unable to fulfill their goals or dreams. Jorge works as a janitor in his apartment building, caring for his stroke-impaired father. In addition to being frustrated by his dead end job (he is continually rejected for business-related careers, despite a degree he earned at night school) and his guilt-induced caretaker role for his ailing father, he becomes trapped between two women: his unrequited love and his likable, but ne'er-do-well brother's girlfriend, a prisoner desperate to become pregnant. Meanwhile his best friend begins to question his sexuality after visiting a 'full-service' male massage therapist patronized by his own father. I was reminded of Almodovar in Arevalo's ability to combine comedy and drama, to make unlikely situations seem totally real, and to create intimate, nuanced characters and compelling inter-relationships. Beautifully filmed, nice score, well-acted. A splendid debut.