New Int'l. Release

Hidden

Oculto (Spain - U.K. - Italy)

By JONATHAN HOLLAND

A Warner Sogefilms release (in Spain) of a Zebra Producciones/Iconica (Spain)/Future Films (U.K.)/Sintra (Italy) production, with the participation of TVE, Canal Plus. (International sales: Zebra Producciones, Madrid). Produced by Jose Nolla, Antonio Saura, Jose Velasco, Albert Martinez-Martin, Rosanna Seregni. Directed by Antonio Hernandez. Screenplay, Enrique Braso, Hernandez.
 
With: Laia Marull, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Angie Cepeda, Gerardo Malla, Joaquin Climent.
 

Showing that seriousness of intent need not exclude entertaining production values, Antonio Hernandez's urban psychodrama "Hidden" pulls together delicate scripting, good looks and a couple of fine perfs into an enjoyable and nicely understated item about the dangers of seeking meaning in the wrong places. Less challenging than the helmer's well-received "In the City of No Limits," "Hidden" is unbalanced and repeats many of its virtues, including a microscopic attention to emotional truth that nevertheless helps to ground its occasional forays into absurdity. Offshore auds who enjoyed "Limits" might enjoy this stylish excursion into more mainstream genre fare.

During a conference on the interpretation of dreams organized by dowdy, insecure Beatriz (Laia Marull), fashion exec Natalia (Colombian thesp Angie Cepeda) reveals she has thrice dreamed about the black obelisk from "2001: a Space Odyssey"; now she wants to know what that means. When Natalia has finished, Beatriz passes out. Later, we see she has a tattoo that combines elements from Natalia's dreams.Online journalist Alex, who attended the dream sesh, tracks Natalia down, and they embark on a sexual relationship. Meanwhile, elements of Beatriz's emotional history slowly start to emerge and we realize that nothing here is supernatural after all. The three visit a clairvoyant, and Natalia's insecurity intensifies. A somewhat contrived wordless final sequence, taken on its own merits, is a visual tour de force.

Though generally well-worked and with subtle attention to detail, the script is sometimes wordy in the service of character, which damages the dynamics of suspense. Pic could have been tightened considerably by cutting Natalia's off-the-wall dreams, which add little. A subplot involving the family breakup of Roberto (Joaquin Climent), a workmate of Alex's, feels marginal.

But things are fine while the focus is on the central trio. Following her terrific perf as a victim of domestic abuse in "Take My Eyes," Marull is carving out a small niche for herself as the twitchily insecure victim, while Cepeda is better than she's ever been as the superficially confident suit slowly becoming prey to her psychological demons. Sbaraglia's decision to keep things mutteringly low-key starts to grate.

Unax Mendia's clean-edged lensing does a fine job of converting Madrid into a threatening modern metropolis, while Javier Laffaille's fluid editing helps cover scripting cracks. Geraldine Chaplin cameos as a part of Beatriz's past.

Camera (color), Unax Mendia; editor, Javier Laffaille; music, Osiris; art director, Gabriel Carrascal; sound (Dolby Digital), Alastair Widgery. Reviewed at Cine Princesa, Madrid, Nov. 5, 2005. Running time: 125 MIN.