A Lauren Films release of a Fernando Colomo PC production, in association with Antena 3, Via Digital. (International sales: Grupo Pi, Madrid.) Executive producer, Beatriz de la Gandara.
Directed, written by Ines Paris, Daniela Fejerman.
With: Leonor Watling, Rosa Maria Sarda, Maria Pujalte, Silvia Abascal, Eliska Sirova, Chisco Amado, Alex Angulo, Aitor Mazo, Xabier Elorriaga.
Lightness of touch, vibrant performances and a sharp script are the hallmarks of the delightful femme comedy "My Mother Likes Women," debut pic from writer-directors Ines Paris and Daniela Fejerman. Despite its misleadingly cheesy title and over-hasty wrap-up, this first Spanish feature helmed by two women sidesteps the over-earnestness or high camp that hallmark so much gay-themed Hispanic cinema, and also provides the best showcase so far for actress-to-watch Leonor Watling. Released in mid-January to better-than-expected opening biz, pic can expect to find a home in gay fests, but its basic troubled-romance motif could potentially appeal to a broader aud base.
Classical pianist Sofia (dependable Rosa Maria Sarda) assembles her three twentysomething daughters -- highly-strung wannabe novelist Elvira (Watling), family-minded Jimena (Maria Pujalte) and rock singer Sol (Silvia Abascal) -- to introduce them to her new lover. To the mixed reactions of the girls, the lover is a woman, Eliska (Eliska Sirova), a Czech immigrant.
Elvira, who fancies author Miguel (Chisco Amado), is thrown into a crisis. Her shrink (Aitor Mazo) is already advising her to give up her job in publishing and ask her mother for money so she can write; but Sofia says most of her money has gone to Eliska.
Worried Eliska might be a gold-digger, the girls decide to test her to see if she really loves Mom. Sol flirts with the woman, but it becomes clear the real spark is between Elvira and Eliska. This generates problems between Elvira and Miguel, and makes Elvira comically doubt her own sexuality.
The well-fashioned plot starts to come apart only when Eliska, having spent a drunken night with Elvira, decides (in an unlikely development) to return to the Czech Republic, leaving a distraught Sofia behind. The daughters head for Prague -- why not just phone? -- to bring her back, and the pace picks up too quickly during the final reel.
Helmers are happy to let actors take the dramatic weight, with stylistic flourishes kept to a minimum and everything very au naturel. Perfs are engaging across the board, with Watling dominating as the entirely winsome Elvira, giving it all she's got as a kind of Hispanic, female Woody Allen. The underexploited Abascal likewise brings a charge to her scenes. As the Czech lover, however, Sirova is not always convincing, largely the result of acting in a foreign language.
Handheld lensing generates intimacy, but the MOR score sometimes sounds tacky.
Camera (color), David Omedes; editor, Fidel Collados; music, Juan Bardem; art director, Soledad Sesena; sound (Dolby Digital), Julio Recuero. Reviewed at Yelmo Cineplex Ideal, Madrid, Jan. 17, 2002. Running time: 96 MIN.
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Date in print: Sun., Feb. 17, 2002