anna-39 Funny how opinions can be different. I perfectly respect that many people found this movie a masterpiece, but I found it pretentious, dishonest, an external exhibition of "misery" full of stereotypes (and quite a conservative undertone). The fallen angel girl that goes through resurrection, the Madonna mother, bad (really really b a d) father, abusive and violent self-centered boyfriend, etc. All too calculated, staged for my taste - there are so many other films that I find more honest in their portray of poverty and misery (but with dignity). And then above all the fairy-tale end. It seemed so much like an imagined poverty by someone who has never experienced it.The only thing that I really enjoyed of that film was the erotic electricity between two older characters that is a rare thing to see in a movie. In my opinion, that gives an extra start to this movie.

writers_reign I stumbled on this DVD in my local library having never heard of the film itself or anyone connected with it either in front of or behind the camera. That's as good a definition of 'serendipity' as any. Although there are perhaps a dozen players it's essentially a three-hander, four if we stretch a point and include Paco De Osca's husband/father from hell who indirectly generates most of what happens with the other three, the other three being Maria (Ana Fernandez) a 35 year-old country girl long fled to the city as soon as she was old enough to escape her abusive drunken father and with little or no formal education is obliged to take a succession of menial cleaning jobs and provide a sex-object for macho Spanish males. As the story begins De Osca has just been admitted to hospital in the city and his down-trodden wife (Maria Galiana) has accompanied him and is reluctantly put up by Maria for the duration. The third member of this morose little group is widower Vecino (Carlos Alvarez-Novoa) who lives in the same apartment building as Maria and quickly attaches himself to her mother. For the mother it is a revelation to meet a man who is not only not an animal but also has finer feelings but she has become habituated to her role as doormat and when her husband is released from hospital she returns with him to their village leaving us with the impression that should her husband die she will return and take up with Vecino, who, in the wake of the mother's departure, persuades Maria not to abort the child she is carrying (the father has no interest in a permanent relationship and offers to underwrite an abortion) and promises to act as a grandfather. This is a study of three lost souls and despite the downbeat theme it is actually uplifting. The acting throughout is more than competent, that of the three principals brilliant. 9/10

eadon-com Solas is a Spanish story of the interrelationships between a hard drinking thirty five year old woman, her saintly mother, her wicked father and a lonely neighbour. The initial themes deal not only with motherly concepts, but with desperation, alienation and loss of happiness caused by an anonymous world. The tale seems stark and slow at first, and you think, O Lordy, this is a bit bloody grim! But at some indifinable point, you're hooked! Solas is one of the most moving films I've seen. The acting, characterisation and dialogue (as far as I could tell from the subtitles) is priceless. Solas is quietly masterful, a rewarding work of passion. Simply recalling how the characters started out and comparing that with how they ended up is awe inspiring. 10/10

dscheers Excellent movie, I expected a good drama but it was much more than that,a pleasant surprise! It's not your typical Hollywood-tear-jerker but it's sensitive (and hard) in it's own European way. Go and see it,you won't be disappointed,unless you are mainstream,that is!