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Live Flesh Details

1997 Certificate 18
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 6710 members

Victor, a young man from humble beginnings, falls in love with the daughter of a diplomat, with whom he shares his first sexual experience. Events become confused when Victor tries to see her again. Spanish dialogue with English subtitles. Read more

Starring Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal, Angela Molina
Director Pedro Almodovar
Genres Thriller, World Cinema

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Live Flesh

Victor, a young man from humble beginnings, falls in love with the daughter of a diplomat, with whom he shares his first sexual experience. Events become confused when Victor tries to see her again. Spanish dialogue with English subtitles.

Starring Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal, Angela Molina, Jose Sancho
Director Pedro Almodovar
Studio PATHE DISTRIBUTION
Run time DVD: 1 hr 37 mins
Certificate Certificate 18
Genres Thriller, World Cinema
Language DVD: Spanish
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 05 Aug 2004
Production year: 1997
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (5) of Live Flesh

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Excruciatingly funny, fearlessly frank and gloriously ironic, Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's engaging take on the Ruth Rendell thriller is a deliciously twisted tale of destiny, desire and death. Using the central concept of how a single bullet fired during a botched police investigation causes a ricochet effect through the lives of five different characters, the camp iconoclast serves up a pulse-quickening cocktail of subversion and sexual tension where truth and humanity are used as clever red herrings. Featuring amazing performances from Javier Bardem and Angela Molina, this crime of passion is a must-see and easily Almodóvar's best film since Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • "...LIVE FLESH is a fully realised work...It is a complex and moving film that is beautiful to look at. You'll want to see it again..."

    • Sight and Sound
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005

  • Most helpful member's review of Live Flesh

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  • 23 out of 25 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Excellent, and typical Almodovar.

    Spain, 1997

    U.S. Release Date: 2/13/98 (limited)

    Running Length: 1:40

    MPAA Classification: R (Sex, profanity, nudity, drugs)

    Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

    Cast: Liberto Rabal, Francesca Neri, Javier Bardem, Angela Molina, Jose Sancho, Penelope Cruz

    Director: Pedro Almodovar

    Producer: Agust?n Almodovar

    Screenplay: Pedro Almodovar, Jorge Guerricaechevarria, Ray Loriga based on the novel by Ruth Rendell

    Cinematography: Affonso Beato

    Music: Alberto Iglesias

    U.S. Distributor: Goldwyn Pictures

    In Spanish with subtitles

    Summary of movie from James Berardinelli:

    'The five principals come together on one fateful night in 1992 Madrid. Victor (Liberto Rabal) has fallen for a woman, Elena (Francesca Neri), whom he had sex with a week ago. Elena, however, wants nothing more to do with Victor, and, when he shows up at her apartment, she uses a gun to scare him away. A shot is fired and the cops are called. Arriving at Elena's apartment are two partners, David (Javier Bardem) and Sancho (Jose Sancho), who are in the midst of a crisis in their friendship. Sancho, a chronic, abusive drunk, believes that his wife, Clara (Angela Molina), is having an affair, and he suspects David of being Clara's lover. What happens when the police break down the door to Elena's apartment sets off a chain of events that reverberate through time to a period four years later, when circumstances bring the characters together once again, albeit in a vastly different situation.'

    Movie is typical Almodovar, excellent to watch from beginning to end, with firmly 'fleshed' out characters and wonderful cinamotography.

      • Bruce M from Oxford, England
      • Posted 16 Jun 2004 18:32

  • Most recent members' review of Live Flesh

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  • 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    Not his best, but still good

    A very well paced drama, with good deep characters and nice carried plot.

    Love, anger, revenge, passion... and a touch of historical context.

    As usual with Almodovar, it is more about the characters and the reasons for their actions than a complex story.

      • Rucucu from London
      • Posted 15 Jan 2005 unknown

  • News and features

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    Broken Embraces

    Broken Embraces: Pedro Almodóvar

    • 02 Sep 2009

    Perhaps the most famous Spanish director of his time, Pedro Almodóvar’s passion for cinematic representation began in the early 1980s. Experimenting with themes of desire and identity, Almodóvar’s work is largely expressive in both content and style. Penélope Cruz’s involvement in his 1997 film Live Flesh marked a significant turning point for Almodóvar, who went onto re-cast her in three more of his films. We chatted to the star about his latest project, Broken Embraces and... Read more

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Rating breakdown

6,710 Member ratings
  • 100
526
  • 90
581
  • 80
1,351
  • 70
1,371
  • 60
1,204
  • 50
663
  • 40
418
  • 30
260
  • 20
223
  • 10
113

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      • Victor, a young man from humble beginnings, falls in love with the daughter of a diplomat, with whom he shares his first sexual experience. Events become confused when Victor tries to see her again. ...