Law of Desire

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Law of Desire

NC-17

1987

1h 40m

Comedy

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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).

Critics Consensus

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

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

This wild man has a true talent.

Jan 14, 2013

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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

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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

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

This intriguing erotic melodrama is one of Almodovar's few explicitly gay films.

Rated: B+

Jan 1, 2013

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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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

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