SOLO QUIERO CAMINAR (JUST WALKING)
Spain, 2008, 129 minutes, Colour.
Diego Luna, Victoria Abril, Ariadne Gil, Pilar Lopez de Ayala, Elena Anaya, Jose Maria Yazpik, Augustin Diaz Yanes.
A Spanish/Mexican co-production with stars from both countries led by Diego Luna and Spanish Victoria Abril and Ariadna Gil.
This is something of a routine crime thriller, the difference being that the central Spanish protagonists are four women, prostitutes who commit robberies. Their initial attempt fails through bad luck. The most forceful of them, Aurora (Ariadna Gil) is caught and jailed. However, her sentence is shortened and then repealed because of sexual favours for a corrupt judge. This is all masterminded by the older Gloria (Victoria Abril) who cares for her teenage son.
In Mexico we meet cold, dapper and ruthless killer, Gabriel (Diego Luna). He and his associates visit Spain. The boss, Felix (Jose Maria Yazpik) decides to marry one of the prostitutes, Aurora's sister, Anna, and takes her to Mexico (and a lavish wedding scene). The other three women follow. They want to avenge Felix's blithely brutal treatment of his wife. They steal is LaCie? computer back-up. They rob his safe – not without some violence to themselves.
This is the kind of film that could be called 'hot-blooded', Mediterranean and Hispanic in temperament (and temperature) and behaviour. At times this becomes more than a little absurd, especially Gloria's being stabbed, talking to her son on the phone as she bleeds and then staggering to his teacher's home to deliver an essay.
Carryings on in an amoral world.
1.The popularity of crime thrillers, the genre, the conventions? This film as different? The focus on the women?
2.The Spanish settings, affluence, ordinary lives, the clubs, the vault, police stations, prison? Mexico City, affluence, the world of crime? Violence?
3.The melodramatic action, the ironies of the screenplay, humour? Touches of the absurd?
4.The introduction to Gabriel, Mexico City, the cold shooting, his dapper clothes, walking away, calm?
5.The introduction to the women, the initial robbery, their skills, the men watching TV, the women and the flamenco dance, the crime almost a success, their being caught, the escape, Aurora being taken, beaten (and her later revenge by taking the baseball bat to the men)? Her being sentenced to prison?
6.Aurora as central, her relationship with her sister, her concern? The details of life in prison? Paloma as working for the judge, Gloria? The sexual favours to the judge, his shortening the sentence, Paloma later going as the schoolgirl, the judge repealing the sentence? Aurora in jail and determined to get out? Her relief?
7.The Mexicans, coming to Spain on business, tough, the girls and sex, Anna, Felix’s proposal? The killing of the businessman in cold blood?
8.The return to Mexico, the wedding, the theme and music of Pretty Woman? Felix in himself, the boss of the business, his relying for advice and friendship on Gabriel? The wedding, sending Gabriel to talk to the old lady, dealings with the Koreans? The killing of the Korean?
9.Felix, his brutal manner, brutal to Anna, Anna and her drinking, Gabriel rescuing her, Felix throwing her out of the car, the reaction of the women, Anna in hospital, finally turning off the support system?
10.Gloria and her son, domestic, at school, his writing the essay, Gabriel and his correcting it? The phone call while Gloria was dying? Gloria as tough, on the job, the set-up, stealing the computer, stealing the money? The fighting with the thugs? Her being stabbed, bleeding and going to the teacher, handing the essay in? Her death?
11.Paloma and her deals, betraying Aurora? Her work in the court, the judge, going to Mexico, with the men, the robbery, her almost being strangled, her going to look after Juan?
12.Aurora to Mexico, the sexual encounter with Gabriel, the set-up, tough, robbing the safe, the confrontation with the thugs? Fighting with Felix, Gabriel rescuing her, her walking away?
13.Felix and evil, the vengeance, the confrontation with Gabriel, his killing himself?
14.Gabriel and his attitude towards his father, the death of his mother, wanting vengeance, his being a professional killer, dapper, a go-between, his charm, persuading the old lady about the Koreans, with Aurora, the rescue, his being wounded, death?
15.A thriller in an amoral world?
