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Live Flesh

Play trailer Poster for Live Flesh R 1997 1h 43m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 45 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
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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Live Flesh

Live Flesh

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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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Critics Reviews

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Geoff Brown The Times (UK) 02/01/2023
[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. Go to Full Review
Mike Clark USA Today 01/09/2018
3.5/4
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. Go to Full Review
Liam Lacey Globe and Mail 04/12/2002
2.5/4
The overall purpose of Live Flesh, the latest and reputedly most 'mature' work from Spanish bad-boy director Pedro Almodovar, remains engigmatic. Go to Full Review
Mike Davies Birmingham Post 02/02/2023
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. Go to Full Review
Jan Stuart The Advocate 04/05/2022
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. Go to Full Review
Ruhaan Shah Film Companion 04/29/2020
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. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Luis M. D 12/11/2023 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. See more Lucas 09/23/2022 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. See more 08/16/2021 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. See more 05/22/2021 This romantic thriller film is very beautiful and emotional. The direction is excellent as well as the interpretations of the entire cast. See more dave s 03/21/2021 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. See more 02/23/2021 Best gangster movie of all time a masterpiece my rating for this movie (9.7/10) highly recommended See more Read all reviews
Live Flesh

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Movie Info

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
Producer
Agustín Almodóvar
Screenwriter
Pedro Almodóvar, Ray Loriga, Ruth Rendell
Production Co
El Deseo S.A., Goldwyn Films
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
European Spanish
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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