Review of Piedras

Piedras (2002)
7/10
Good but downbeat and sad film in which stands out its music and the moving finale
6 January 2016
¨Piedras" turns out to be a moving drama well realized by Ramon Salazar about human relationships . A brooding story where predominates intense drama and above all , there's a good feeling . The tale introduces us lives of people under the focus of lower-middle and high class in a big capital , Madrid . The small, everyday stories of a group of citizens who live , work and suffer in a great city , and the little secrets that they hide . The flick gives a short description about their parallel existences . All of them are endeavoring to remove the stones that insistently appear in their path or , worst , that are in their shoes . They are five Cinderellas : Adela (Antonia San Juan) , Leire (Najwa Nimri) , Maricarmen (Vicky Peña) , Anita (Mónica Cervera) in search of prince charming and a new chance in this unfortunate lives .

The film tells the touching story of various protagonists , conflicting trajectory of various hapless women and their lovers . This is an interesting and thought-provoking drama in long length and yet with an air of naturalness and credibility . This is a thought-provoking as well as pleasant flick filmed with great sensitivity and feeling . This overlong film knows very well inter-cross these troublesome roles , five women who have not been able to organize the large "stones" in their fateful existences . The picture is very interesting as well as provoking , though some infinite sadness follows the film at times . The flick moves in fits and starts most of which would be desirable , with more traps the viewer resists any kind , and some moments of enjoyment and others quite a few disconcerting . It's an intelligent and touching story although sometimes is slow moving and tiring but is finely developed with sense of style and sensibility . Attractive drama filled with emotion , artistic scenes and plenty of sensitivity . The picture relies heavily on the unusual relationships among frustrated , unfortunate and betrayed women , but it doesn't makes boring , as it results to be entertaining . This is an attractive movie plenty of nice feeling , drama , stirring scenes and tragic love stories . Dramatic screenplay by the same filmmaker , including some autobiographic elements . The film enjoys a breeze as well as moving final , and gives us much to think about it and in which doesn't deceive or dramatize unnecessarily . Along these lines, it is clear that writer/filmmaker Salazar tries to create an unforgettable picture . Apart from that , it has a touch Pedro Almodovar that always feels good . Most of the film locations are around Lisbon , Almada , Portugal and Madrid city , which is location where director Salazar grow up , though he was born in Malaga . The picture is primarily supported by sensational players, as Angela Molina , Vicky Peña , Antonia San Juan , Najwa Nimri , both of whom give sensational acting . All of them carry out their characters to perfection and show a look that says it all . The support cast is frankly nice , such as Lola Dueñas , Andrés Gertrúdix , Maria Casal , Daniele Liotti , and Susi Sanchez , among others . Furthermore , there stands out Monica Cervera as mentally-handicapped daughter .

Emotive and stirring musical score by Parcal Gaigne , an expert composer who has composed and conducted a lot of scores such as ¨Mensaka¨ , ¨Silencio Roto¨ , ¨Lasa and Zabala¨, ¨Azuloscurocasinegro¨ , ¨Gordos¨ and many others . The soundtrack flows great with the film in every way , and creates a catching atmosphere in every moment , adding a sensitive leitmotif . Colorful as well as evocative cinematography by David Carretero , being shot on location , he has photographed known films as ¨Dalton versus Lucky Luke¨, ¨The nun¨, ¨Malas Temporadas¨ and ¨Utopia¨ . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Ramón Salazar . This Spanish director defines his first feature ¨Stones¨ in this way : "In life, we first organize large stones such as love, friendship, family, and a career ; in this way, we will find space between these to fit smaller stones, our small necessities ; if you act in an inverse way, you will not have the room for larger stones¨. Here he presents a fresh portrait with agreeable as well as dramatic moments , but mostly so that you shrink the heart with these unlucky people . Ramon Salazar has written various successful pictures such as : 2010 ¨Tres Metros Sobre El Cielo¨, 2012 ¨Tengo Ganas De Ti¨ , 2002 ¨Amnesia¨ and directed a few movies : ¨10.000 Noches En Ninguna Parte¨ , 2005 ¨Twenty Centímetros¨ and this ¨Piedras¨or ¨Stones¨ .
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