ma-cortes
Moving thriller filled with intense drama , nail-biting action , car crash , a love story and swiftly paced . This exciting movie contains thrills , noisy action , intrigue , spectacular final crashing and a triangular love story . Stirring movie results to be a nice yarn well set in a sun-drenched big city , Madrid . In fact , filmmaker Daniel Calparsoro dedicated this movie , ¨Asfalto¨ , to ¨Madrid¨ . It deals with three young and desperate inhabitants of this metropolis , Lucía (Najwa Nimri), a beautiful woman of longs legs torn between two lovers : Charly (Juan Diego Botto) and Chino (Gustavo Salmerón) . This trio must scramble a lot of twisted relations , risks , dangers and violence . They are a bunch of cunning delinquents as well as drug dealers . At the beginning Lucia and Chino are an offbeat couple . After that , Lucia and Charly fall in love and there takes place the classical loving triangle . But Lucia loves the two young men , then it occurs a particular and outlandish threesome . Meantime , they carry out swindles , dope selling and dealing with an entire corrupt underclass (Rubén Ochandiano , Roger Ibáñez , Javier Nogueiras) . They try to rise above their circumstances by any means available to them . As while Lucia seduces her victim the Francés (Bigot) ; Chino and his colleague enter his house , and they come in to steal from him . Chino has an abusive older brother , Antonio , who attempts to apart him from them . But things go wrong and their hasty schemes become derailed when there appear Lucia's demanding mother (Antonia San Juan) and Chino's brother (Alfredo Villa) and the happenings lead to unexpected consequences . This is a thrilling narration of friendship , comradeship , love , delinquency , and drug dealers with exceptionally fine camera work , attractive sequences and ending crashes on the metropolitan streets , in Madrid's Gran Via . The picture mingles action-packed , drama , exciting pursuits , suspense , a little bit of sexual images and spectacular sequences though won't mean much on little screen TV . This peculiar as well as tight-knit trio , Salmeron-Najwa-Diego Botto , are the real stars of this movie . Pulse-quickening thriller movie but plenty of clichés and lots of violence , including punches , slaps , heavy blows , kick-ass and bloody shooting . Other chief excitements about the picture , will be in the intervention of a good plethora of Spanish actors who realize professionally competent interpretations such as Alfredo Villa as his cop brother Antonio , Antonia San Juan as authoritarian matriarch and Rubén Ochandiano as a druggie . Colorful and appropriate cinematography by Joseph M. Civit . Josep M Civit is one of the best Spanish cameramen , as he has demonstrated in "The Hidden Face" , ¨Shiver¨, ¨Warriors¨ , ¨The Absent" ,¨Anguish¨ and many others . Exciting as well as pulsating musical score by Nacho Mastretta and Najwajean-Najwa Nimri . This is another superbly powerful thriller movie being compellingly directed Daniel Calparsoro , the filmmaking is competent though the story eventually run out of gas . It was well realized by Calparsoro in similar vein to his subsequent films as ¨Invasor¨ , another splendid thriller mostly set in Irak war . His best film was ¨Warriors¨ or ¨Guerreros¨ , another warlike film brilliantly made by Daniel and dealing with ¨Kosovo¨ war . Daniel was raised in Donostia , for that reason most films are set in Basque country . Daniel uses to work with his spouses , as his first wife , Najawa Nimri composes his scores and played in ¨Salto a Vacio¨ , ¨Pasajes¨ , ¨Asfalto¨ , ¨A Ciegas¨ ; and his second one , Patricia Vico , performed in ¨La Ira¨ . Calparsoro is an expert on action and violent dramas , such as : 2013 ¨Combustion¨ starred by Alex Gonzalez and Alberto Amman , 2012 ¨Invasor¨ also starred by Albert Ammann , 2005 ¨Ausentes¨ , 2000 ¨Asfalto¨ , 1997 ¨A Ciegas¨ , 1996 ¨Pasajes¨ , 1995 ¨Salto a Vacío¨ . Furthermore , he has realized TV series and episodes such as ¨Inocentes¨, ¨Apaches¨ , ¨La Ira¨, ¨El Castigo¨. His last one (2016) results to be ¨100 Años De Perdón¨ with all-star-cast as Luis Tosar , Jose Coronado , Raul Arevalo and his wife Patricia Vico . This flick , ¨Asphalt¨ , will appeal to adrenaline lovers and those young people looking for strong emotions . This is the kind of film in which the thriller enthusiasts will enjoy immensely , it's a must see .
Hugh Sullivan
Yes, it has moments of violence, but that's more a reflection of the 3 main characters lack of impulse control. The violence is more of an expression of their emotions. It's really a story about the 3-some. Many have praised Najwa Nimri's performance as Lucia, but I think they're missing the point. The heart of the piece is Chino. Gustavo Salmerón really steals the show with his sense of desperation and betrayal. It's hard to see what Lucia's motivations were, other than making a quick buck. I would have given it a higher rating if they had made the coming together of the 3-some were more realistic. Lucia says, "Things just happen." I don't think there's an actress alive who could make that line work. The relationship between the brothers was crucial to making this film work, but the mother-daughter thing seemed more like a plot device. Juan Diego Botto does a good job, but he doesn't have much to do.
jotix100
Chino, a small time crook is in love with a prostitute, Lucia, who is also dealing drugs. Charly, who is a friend of Chino, is introduced to Lucia, who immediately falls for the handsome guy. The three prepare to rob a Frenchman as Lucia meets him for a sexual encounter. In executing their scheme, they hurt the man, who is believed to be dead, and the trio flees. Lucia is instrumental for bringing the three of them together in bed, something that makes Chino uncomfortable with the whole situation, but which seems to satisfy her, and Charly. Their friendship will soon turn in a different direction.At the same time, Chino, whose brother Antonio is a cop, wants to join the force. With the help of his brother, Chino is accepted. When a botched robbery sends Charly to jail, Lucia clings to Chino, as her salvation. Lucia, and her drug addicted mother, Charita, who appears out of the blue at her door, begin preparing the drugs at home because with Charly away, it's the only thing she knows will guarantee her a good return for her investment.After Charly is released, Chino hears from Antonio how Lucia has two-timed him in going to visit him in jail and she waits for him as he is set free. At this point, we realize that Antonio is more deeply involved with his brother and his friends than really meets the eye because of his secret manipulations. At the end, after a horrible car accident in one of the busiest streets of Madrid, the trio's friendship comes to an end, as Chino realizes Lucia will never be his.Daniel Calparsoro, the director, who co-wrote the screen play with Frank Palacios, made a tense film that clearly takes the viewer into the underworld where Lucia, Charly and Chino live. The strength of the movie lies in the portrayals he was able to get from the three leading actors.Not being a fan of Najwa Nimri, whose diction could improve, we must admit that she does a credible job as Lucia, the woman torn between two lovers who wants a better life, but who keeps getting pushed down by the circumstances she encounters. Juan Diego Boto, an interesting young actor, is wonderful as Charly. The real surprise for this viewer, at least, was Gustavo Salmeron, who gives an intense performance as Chino, the most vulnerable of the trio. Antonia San Juan, who has done better work, doesn't have much to do in a role that is not believable. Alfredo Villa, who plays Antonio, the crooked cop, has some effective moments and contributes to the over all success of this film."Asfalto" was made better by the direction of Daniel Calparsoro.