Director: Manuel Gomez Pereira
Stars: Javier Bardem, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Josep Maria Flotats, Maria Barranco
Year: 1995
Rating: R
One of Javier Bardem's earlier films - and a terrific (and pretty sexy) caper comedy with some real twists in the tale you don't begin to see coming, Mouth to Mouth (Boca a Boca in Spanish) tells the story of actor wannabe Victor Ventura (Bardem), a down-on-his-luck actor who has moved to Madrid for fame and fortune as an actor, delivering pizzas on the side as he scrambles for parts.
Victor has a lady agent who believes in him almost as much as he does, and in fact pushes for Victor to stay in Madrid, early on in the film, when his delivery bicycle is stolen and he can no longer do his job. It seems a major American film is coming to shoot, in part, in Madrid, and they are seeking authentic Spanish actors - in particular, for the suave and charismatic male lead that would be the perfect role for Victor.
So unemployed and broke, in order to stay in Madrid (at least until the big audition), Victor is forced to take a job with a local phone sex service. Though fiercely heterosexual, Victor's new job has him making love - over the phone - to dozens and dozens of horny, lonely men ... one, in particular, named Bill who becomes Victor's best customer, calling all the time. As Victor's pay is determined by the amount of time he keeps each caller online, Bill alone is a goldmine for Victor, and he puts up with the calls and admiration to support himself.
But when, on one evening shift, Victor gets a call from a sultry-voiced woman named Amanda (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon), the young actor finds himself so turned on, he talks her into meeting him in person - a move that could cost him his job, not to mention seriously complicate his life.
Sure enough, Amanda does just that; after one night of pretty amazing sex, Victor finds himself pretty much in love with her. Amanda doesn't seem to return the affection, at first - but soon not only comes to admit her feelings for Victor, but also has a big confession to make: she is the wife of Bill, Victor's biggest phone sex client, and has gone behind Bill's (whose real name is Ricardo) back to call Victor herself. Further, now that she's met and is falling for Victor, she needs his help.
See, Amanda wants to divorce Ricardo and get custody of the children - but Ricardo is both wealthy and powerful, and will make the custody battle especially very difficult for her. So what Amanda proposes, instead, is that Victor talk Ricardo into a face-to-face meeting as he did her ... then take Ricardo to bed and seduce him, while a hidden camera will take photos of the two of them and secure some great blackmail in Amanda's quest to get both alimony and the children.
At first Victor - needless to say - balks at the idea, but when Amanda stresses that he won't actually have to do anything with Ricardo, except perhaps kiss (the fact that Ricardo is half-naked with another man, in bed, will be enough), that and the reality that he and Amanda can be together afterward convinces Victor to give her crazy plan a try. Victor indeed meets up with the very nervous, overly-cautious Bill/Ricardo (Josep Maria Flotats), in a funny attempt at seducing the married, closeted man ...
But things go a bit awry from there, when a sinister-looking man enters the apartment with a gun, determined to kill both men ... and suddenly Victor and Ricardo both are flung (along with the plot) in a hilariously all-new direction, as nothing ends up what it seemed to be, and struggling actor Victor Venture finds himself on the run with a hired killer after him - without a single clue as to why, and as his audition for what could be the biggest break of his career draws near.
Mouth to Mouth is funny, charming, suspenseful, sexy, and full of quirky characters that drive a very well-thought-out plot. Bardem is pitch-perfect as the hapless yet sexy Victor - a potential leading man if he doesn't blow it with a sex scandal, or by getting himself killed - and the supporting cast that follows him is equally good, and equally funny. The film never bogs down in slapstick, keeps a great pace that will have you guessing throughout, and never goes too far to either stereotype or parody in dealing with the "gay thing" of either Ricardo's character or Victor's job. It's also a wonderful testament to Bardem's flair for comedy - as well as a nice peek into the early work of a truly gifted actor. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See
Stars: Javier Bardem, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Josep Maria Flotats, Maria Barranco
Year: 1995
Rating: R
One of Javier Bardem's earlier films - and a terrific (and pretty sexy) caper comedy with some real twists in the tale you don't begin to see coming, Mouth to Mouth (Boca a Boca in Spanish) tells the story of actor wannabe Victor Ventura (Bardem), a down-on-his-luck actor who has moved to Madrid for fame and fortune as an actor, delivering pizzas on the side as he scrambles for parts.
Victor has a lady agent who believes in him almost as much as he does, and in fact pushes for Victor to stay in Madrid, early on in the film, when his delivery bicycle is stolen and he can no longer do his job. It seems a major American film is coming to shoot, in part, in Madrid, and they are seeking authentic Spanish actors - in particular, for the suave and charismatic male lead that would be the perfect role for Victor.
So unemployed and broke, in order to stay in Madrid (at least until the big audition), Victor is forced to take a job with a local phone sex service. Though fiercely heterosexual, Victor's new job has him making love - over the phone - to dozens and dozens of horny, lonely men ... one, in particular, named Bill who becomes Victor's best customer, calling all the time. As Victor's pay is determined by the amount of time he keeps each caller online, Bill alone is a goldmine for Victor, and he puts up with the calls and admiration to support himself.
But when, on one evening shift, Victor gets a call from a sultry-voiced woman named Amanda (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon), the young actor finds himself so turned on, he talks her into meeting him in person - a move that could cost him his job, not to mention seriously complicate his life.
Sure enough, Amanda does just that; after one night of pretty amazing sex, Victor finds himself pretty much in love with her. Amanda doesn't seem to return the affection, at first - but soon not only comes to admit her feelings for Victor, but also has a big confession to make: she is the wife of Bill, Victor's biggest phone sex client, and has gone behind Bill's (whose real name is Ricardo) back to call Victor herself. Further, now that she's met and is falling for Victor, she needs his help.
See, Amanda wants to divorce Ricardo and get custody of the children - but Ricardo is both wealthy and powerful, and will make the custody battle especially very difficult for her. So what Amanda proposes, instead, is that Victor talk Ricardo into a face-to-face meeting as he did her ... then take Ricardo to bed and seduce him, while a hidden camera will take photos of the two of them and secure some great blackmail in Amanda's quest to get both alimony and the children.
At first Victor - needless to say - balks at the idea, but when Amanda stresses that he won't actually have to do anything with Ricardo, except perhaps kiss (the fact that Ricardo is half-naked with another man, in bed, will be enough), that and the reality that he and Amanda can be together afterward convinces Victor to give her crazy plan a try. Victor indeed meets up with the very nervous, overly-cautious Bill/Ricardo (Josep Maria Flotats), in a funny attempt at seducing the married, closeted man ...
But things go a bit awry from there, when a sinister-looking man enters the apartment with a gun, determined to kill both men ... and suddenly Victor and Ricardo both are flung (along with the plot) in a hilariously all-new direction, as nothing ends up what it seemed to be, and struggling actor Victor Venture finds himself on the run with a hired killer after him - without a single clue as to why, and as his audition for what could be the biggest break of his career draws near.
Mouth to Mouth is funny, charming, suspenseful, sexy, and full of quirky characters that drive a very well-thought-out plot. Bardem is pitch-perfect as the hapless yet sexy Victor - a potential leading man if he doesn't blow it with a sex scandal, or by getting himself killed - and the supporting cast that follows him is equally good, and equally funny. The film never bogs down in slapstick, keeps a great pace that will have you guessing throughout, and never goes too far to either stereotype or parody in dealing with the "gay thing" of either Ricardo's character or Victor's job. It's also a wonderful testament to Bardem's flair for comedy - as well as a nice peek into the early work of a truly gifted actor. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See
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