SENTIMENTAL/ PEOPLE UPSTAIRS
Spain, 2020, 82 minutes, Colour.
Javier Camara, Griselda Siciliani, Belen Cuesta, Alberto San Juan.
Directed by Cesco Gay.
In the 1960s, Edward Albee's play, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the powerful film version with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, highlighted a trend, intense drama where visitors arrived, tensions with the hosts, expressions of anger and frustration, sexual overtones. It set the pattern for many dramas in the decades to come.
While Sentimental is in this vein, we are now in the 21st-century, in an apartment block in Barcelona, focusing on what seems to be a group of ordinary people. We are introduced to Julio (Javier Camara, fine Spanish actor seen in Almodovar films, especially Talk to Her, and the series of The Young Pope and The New Pope), a music teacher supervising an exam. We are introduced to his wife, Ana (Argentinian actress, Griselda Siciliani), a new rug being delivered and laid. So much, so ordinary.
Sentimental has a brief running time – and the action takes place over real-time for the drama, 82 minutes.
However, our sympathies are immediately tested when Julio arrives home. He seems prickly, sarcastic, ready to argue with his wife, even quibbling about her saying she intended to invite the people upstairs for, telling him when she had not yet done it, his arguing about precise use of verb tenses. We may judge him as irritatingly pompous. And our sympathies are from Laura, getting ready for the arrival of the visitors. She is busy about food preparation, dressing up, looking forward to showing them around the apartment.
Just as she is being persuaded, pressured, to phone and disinvite them, the doorbell rings.
The couple seem genial enough, Salva revealed as a fireman (to Julio's sarcasm) and Laura, unexpectedly, a psychologist. But, it soon emerges that the reason they have accepted the invitation is that they are into group sex in their apartment upstairs and have decided that Julio and Ana are a likely couple to join them in these sexual activities.
Which means some intense discussions, the new couple rather debonair and carefree in their attitudes and discussions, Julio and Ana more reticent, some interest on the part of Ana, continual irony on the part of Julio. Our attitudes towards him may be changing somewhat as we watch him verbally fencing with the couple.
But, the latter part of the film turns into a therapy session, Laura taking over, asking questions, challenging the couple, getting them to reveal what they have been thinking and feeling – almost to the point of the breaking of the marriage.
Which means then that the audience has been closely observing the character portraits, the changing interactions, the challenge to morals and values, the new awareness of the marriage and relationships, and the question of where this would lead to.
1. The Spanish title? Overtones? The different emphasis with the English title
2. The Barcelona setting? Spanish? Universal? The apartment, the interiors of the building, rooms, elevators? The glimpse of the music exam? The musical score?
3. The introduction to Julio and Ana, the delivery of the carpet and laying it, Julio with the exam? His arrival home, greetings, the almost immediate beginning of quarrel? The issue of the neighbours coming? His not wanting it? Pedantic about the tenses? His wanting a quiet night? Ana and her motivations, the previous help with the apartment, enabling the neighbours to see it?
4. Audience response to Julio and Ana? Changing emphases? The tension in their marriage, in details of daily life, in revelations about their sexual relationship? Julio's personality, quibbling, the telescope, being alone, smoking on the roof, picking at Ana? Ana, more ordinary, details of cooking, preparing, her responses to Julio? Her being hurt? The discussions about their daughter? Her absence from the house? The discussion of the neighbours, meeting in the elevator, Julio and his disdain, mocking them, the discussions about the noise, the reverberations of the sexual encounters upstairs? And deciding to phone them not to come?
5. The doorbell, Salva and Laura are arriving? The immediate impact? In the light of Julio's criticisms? Salva as a fireman and Julio's mocking? Laura as a psychologist and Julio's disbelief? And their liking for country music! The discussions, the tour of the apartment, Julio and his irony? Salva, the approach, the discussion about dancing? Gathering together, wine, Laura's special food? Conversations?
6. The couple, the reason for their visit, the explanations about group sex, partners, noise? Their estimation of Julio and Ana, suitable for sexual partners, but not the neighbours? The explanations of their behaviour, calm and taking it for granted?
7. Julio and Ana taken aback, the development of the evening, the different responses, the revelation about Ana and the shower, Salva looking at her through the window? No curtains? Laura commenting on Julio and his gaze in the elevator? Ana, toying with the idea, Julio and his mockery?
8. The couple about to go, returning, the transition to a therapy session? Laura and her handling of the situation, her insights? Salva and invitation, and the kiss, Julio kissing Salva?
9. The couple sitting down, Laura and her questions, about Julio, his ambitions, musician, meeting Ana, the courtship, love? Laura, the attentions of David and others and Julio's comment? Her disappointments in the marriage? No sexual encounter for a year?
10. The resolution of the situation? The couple leaving? Laura inviting them to hug, to separate? The reactions afterwards, Julio and his insights and relenting, Ana and the candle, going to the bedroom and the final tracking sequence down the corridor giving audiences time to reflect on what happened?
