Live Flesh

R

Released Oct 12, 1997

1h 43m

Drama

List

80%

46 Reviews

Tomatometer

87%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Victor (Liberto Rabal) goes to meet Elena (Francesca Neri) for a date. Elena, uninterested, tells Victor to leave the apartment before her dealer gets there. Their ensuing argument and struggle draw the attention of policemen Sancho (José Sancho) and David (Javier Bardem). As Elena flees, her gun goes off, paralyzing David. Six years later, Victor gets out of jail and begins having an affair with Sancho's wife, as David and Elena's marriage falls apart.

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Critics Consensus

Live Flesh surveys the fallout from an act of violence with a mature melodrama that sees Pedro Almodóvar working in surprisingly restrained form.

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Luis M. D

Initially Almodovar plays his cards very well. There is an altercation in an apartment and the police intervenes. A bullet is shot and two people suffer the tragic consequences: a young boy who is sent four years in jail, and a cop who ends up partially paralyzed by the bullet. After that incident, they both have good reasons to seek revenge on the other, especially the young boy who swears that he will do it. But soon we see that even though passions remain high, the story doesn't play as expected and the ultimate consequence is not that tragic. It is as if Almodovar tried to prevent things from going too rough. A little disappointing.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/14/23

Full Review

Lucas

Almodóvar sabe desenvolver os dramas e as relações interpessoais como ninguém. O roteiro e o plot do filme foram muito bem adaptados da obra britânica. Além da direção mais madura do diretor e as interpretações dos atores, que também estão excepcionais aqui. Porém, a química entre os personagens e a tensão sexual poderiam ser melhor construídas antes de introduzir as cenas de sexo propriamente ditas, como esse é um filme com foco no drama e nas relações entre os personagens, achei que ficou muito abrupto nesse aspecto. Além da relação amorosa entre Victor e Monica que entra no mesmo problema. O filme sugere que eles sempre se amaram, mas não deixa transparecer em nenhum momento que ela sente algo por ele, até a cena do velório em que de fato ocorre certo afeto e tensão sexual entre os dois. A relação entre os dois poderia ter sido melhor construída e menos abrupta. A obra é quase impecável, mas esses defeitos me distanciaram da mesma.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/25/22

Full Review

Audience Member

In this film it seems that the intent to convey carnal passion is more important than the plausibility of Helena's behavior. Beyond that, the story was ok.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This romantic thriller film is very beautiful and emotional. The direction is excellent as well as the interpretations of the entire cast.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

dave s

Even by Pedro Almodovar standards, Live Flesh is a bit of an oddity. While the to-be-expected Almodovar trademarks are all present (fluid characters, vibrant palette of colors, strong women, subtly probing camera movement), the film seems to veer off course at times. For example, strong political statements are made in both the first and last act, but nothing in-between seems relevant to any kind of political comment. To use the complex plot as a device to compare the first trip to the hospital with the last trip (‘the times they are a changing!!') seems excessive. The motivation of the five primary characters as it relates to their relationships with each other also seems to be questionable but, despite these criticisms, it's still an enjoyable enough film to watch thanks to strong performances and Almodovar's zest for visuals.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Best gangster movie of all time a masterpiece my rating for this movie (9.7/10) highly recommended

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

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Pedro Almodóvar

Director

Javier Bardem

David

Francesca Neri

Elena

Liberto Rabal

Víctor Plaza

Ángela Molina

Clara

José Sancho

Sancho

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Geoff Brown

Times (UK)

[Director Pedro Almodóvar] is adapting a novel by Ruth Rendell, one of our own queens of crime. Yet there is nothing anonymous about this full-blooded, constantly surprising thriller.

Feb 1, 2023

Full Review

Mike Clark

USA Today

A single ricochet gunshot propels the plot and dramatically alters the lives of the quintet. The result is a vengeful, five-way battle of wits.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 9, 2018

Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Mike Davies

Birmingham Post

Pedro Almodóvar returns to vintage form but displaying a new maturity that doesn't feel the need to parcel everything up with sexual explicitness and garish kitsch melodrama.

Feb 2, 2023

Full Review

Jan Stuart

The Advocate

Few directors could bring together such a seductive collection of players for both women and men to revel in, then photograph them with an instinctive line into their sensuality that leaves most films, mainstream or porn, in the dust.

Apr 5, 2022

Full Review

Ruhaan Shah

Film Companion

As Victor's hyper-masculine tendencies fuel his actions, every character's arc entangles more and more with one another. Liberto Rabal and Javier Bardem put on an immersive front and persona in this revenge saga.

Apr 29, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Victor (Liberto Rabal) goes to meet Elena (Francesca Neri) for a date. Elena, uninterested, tells Victor to leave the apartment before her dealer gets there. Their ensuing argument and struggle draw the attention of policemen Sancho (José Sancho) and David (Javier Bardem). As Elena flees, her gun goes off, paralyzing David. Six years later, Victor gets out of jail and begins having an affair with Sancho's wife, as David and Elena's marriage falls apart.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Screenwriter: Pedro Almodóvar, Ray Loriga, Ruth Rendell
Production Co: Goldwyn Films, El Deseo S.A.
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Spanish (Spain)
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 1997, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 1998
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2016
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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