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Law of Desire

Play trailer Poster for Law of Desire NC-17 Released Feb 10, 1987 1h 40m Comedy LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
When porn director Pablo (Eusebio Poncela) reluctantly breaks up with his boyfriend, Juan (Miguel Molina), he encourages him to stay in touch. Juan moves away to live in a lighthouse and eventually writes his ex, but in the interim Pablo has taken up with a psychotic new lover, Antonio (Antonio Banderas). Antonio intercepts their correspondence and flies into a towering rage, terrifying Pablo, but also inspiring him creatively as he works on a play about his transsexual sister (Carmen Maura).
Law of Desire

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Law of Desire is kinky fun that's as explosively bright and provocative as ever.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker This wild man has a true talent. Jan 14, 2013 Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness Almodvar's affection for his characters ... makes his engagingly loopy narrative more than a simple Telemundo-on-acid joke. Rated: B May 4, 2005 Full Review Janet Maslin New York Times What it lacks in depth, 'Law of Desire' makes up in surface energy, with a lively cast, a turbulent plot and a textbook-worthy collection of case histories. Rated: 3/5 Aug 30, 2004 Full Review Quentin Crisp Christopher Street The plot of Law of Desire is positively labyrinthine... It is easy for the audience to lose its way, but I must admit that as soon as the police become involved, momentum does increase to a very exciting pace. May 6, 2024 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com This intriguing erotic melodrama is one of Almodovar's few explicitly gay films. Rated: B+ Jan 1, 2013 Full Review Don Willmott Filmcritic.com a pivotal and unmissable piece of the Almodvar puzzle, a romp that is Pedro at his young and kinky best. Rated: 4/5 Nov 3, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Lucas A A lot of sexuality, good plot but a little surreal or with a lack of explanation of the lover's deep infatuation. It starts with a big sexual slap, but it picks up pace and becomes interesting when the police start to intervene, and the ending unfolds in a captivating way. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/14/24 Full Review Jerod S Young Banderas is set on being a porn director's main squeeze. Back before sexual ambiguity was mainstream, Law of Desire attempts to make it so. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review Massoud H I saw it and cried and cried. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/02/23 Full Review johann m 🇪🇸 🏳️‍🌈Escrita y dirigida por Pedro Almodóvar, esta película de 1987 trata de un triángulo amoroso entre un director gay, su verdadero amor y un fan obsesivo que pone en riesgo a la querida hermana trans del cineasta, una actriz con un oscuro pasado. Una historia llena de excentricidades con el talentoso estilo particular del director que es bastante intrigante de principio a fin, y aunque algunos de sus personajes pueden pasar por locos de remate, las actuaciones de sus intérpretes justifican el melodrama que se desenvuelve en la trama. Se destacan especialmente Antonio Banderas y Carmen Maura, quienes brillan por sus papeles. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member My first movie totally in spanish language Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member A pleasure to see an Almodóvar in his best state, his most transgressive side (at least for that time) and absorbingly melodramatic that completely surrender us to this story of sex, betrayals, obsessions, entanglements and endless passions he delivers and makes the viewer enjoy its unique humor. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Law of Desire

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Cast & Crew

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Pedro Almodóvar

Director

Eusebio Poncela

Pablo Quintero

Carmen Maura

Tina Quintero

Antonio Banderas

Antonio Benítez

Miguel Molina

Juan Bermúdez

Manuela Velasco

Ada, niña

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Law of Desire

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Movie Info

Synopsis When porn director Pablo (Eusebio Poncela) reluctantly breaks up with his boyfriend, Juan (Miguel Molina), he encourages him to stay in touch. Juan moves away to live in a lighthouse and eventually writes his ex, but in the interim Pablo has taken up with a psychotic new lover, Antonio (Antonio Banderas). Antonio intercepts their correspondence and flies into a towering rage, terrifying Pablo, but also inspiring him creatively as he works on a play about his transsexual sister (Carmen Maura).
Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Producer
Agustín Almodóvar
Production Co
El Deseo S.A.
Rating
NC-17
Genre
Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language
European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 10, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 9, 2017
Runtime
1h 40m