Live Flesh (Carne Trémula) (1997)

Live Flesh (1997)

Genre: Thriller / Drama

Directed by: Pedro Almodovar

Starring: Liberto Rabal, Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri

Running time: 103 minutes

Victor Plaza has an altercation with a junkie girl he was trying to sleep with for a second time, and, when shots are fired, two cops arrive. In the melee, one of officers get shot and injured. Victor ends up in jail. Upon his release, years later, he seeks revenge on those he blame for what happened to him: That injured cop, now a wheelchair-bound basketball player, who now forms a couple with the reformed junkie.

Unlike so many of Pedro Almodovar’s movies, this 1997 Spanish thriller/drama does not deal so much with mommy issues. Here is a story of revenge, jealousy and desire. All the actors involved do a very good job to carry a compelling well-woven story. It was especially nice to catch a glimpse of Javier Bardem before he was so well known for his work in American movies.

Live Flesh (Carne Trémula) is a very good film. Some might be turned off by a Spanish movie with English subtitles, but it is so easy to follow and get on board. Almodovar truly possesses a knack for solid and compelling storytelling and he always has known how to pick good actors to carry the roles he writes.

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