hddu10
Almadovar has long duped gullible American audiences into believing he is both talented and witty, when the reality is Europeans have known for decades that he's just a master at shock value. La Ley del Deseo was one of his first gay-themed successes outside of Spain, and while Almadovar can be credited for breaking this particular barrier, he can NOT be credited with doing so without adhering to the unspoken "traditional" gay formula-- that being that one, if not both protagonists had to die tragically. Because, you know...gay. At the time, this movie was a laugh riot for all Latin American queens who loved the dirty jokes, as well as all the ultra-liberal art-types who were just learning how "cool" the whole gay scene was (remember: this is in the mid-80s when all mainstream people focused on was AIDS in the gay community). So, if you are one of those people who likes seeing all the gay "dirty laundry" (random sex, drugs, self-hatred, pornography, unhealthy relationships) thrust upon you in a big screen for shock value, then enjoy, as this film is Almodovar at his most typical.
elgc45
This is one of my favorite Almodovar movies. I was amazed at the level of acting and the quality of the script. As always full of sex and full of demonization towards the Catholic Church and its "celibate" priests. Pedro Almodovar usually tells the untold story of the church in Spain in a way that's always cynical and objective. The relationships of love between two men are what most of his most celebrated films are about. Love, sex, murder, and all of the sins of the flesh are also present in this film. In conclusion, this film possesses all of the qualities of a great Almodovar movie. LA LEY DEL DESEO is a Truly Amazing Movie. 10 Stars!!!
mail-873
You shouldn't believe everything you read on video boxes. It is not a "riotous comedy," it's a deeply moving meditation on desire, from physical desire to the highest kinds of love. All of the characters are searching for it, and one of the questions raised by the movie is "What is it worth?" The final scene, in which Antonio and Pablo are in the apartment, just before Antonio kills himself, is the the linchpin of the movie. Love is serious, it is not a game, and love is worth dying for. That is why Pablo throws the typewriter out the window--everything he has written hasn't been worth the paper it is written on because it assumes that love is merely a toy. In the final scene, when Pablo takes up the dead Antonio in his arms and weeps, the visual image is a lamentation, like the Renaissance paintings of Mary holding Christ in her arms after he has been brought down from the cross. Of course it is funny too in places, but funny in a way that elaborates on and deepens the main theme of the movie, "What is love worth." What Antonio teaches Pablo is that love is worth everything. What you may have been confused by is the tone of the movie, which is operatic. This is not about an investigation of individual character. Like much opera, it investigates a deeply felt--and confusing--human emotion. It is one of the great gay movies, perhaps the greatest one.
bilahn
This is my first Almodavar film. I'll confess we chose it mainly because we knew this had the enticing prospect of Antonio Banderas in gay sex scenes.
Unfortunately, that is about all that this film has to recommend it. I consider myself a fairly sophisticated viewer, I like European films, "art" films, and I am generally able to recognize a quality film even if it is not to my particular taste.But this film was a complete blank to me. The plot was ridiculous, the characters lifeless, the box called it a "hilarious comedy" but I didn't laugh once. Loosly and awkwardly constructed, with a lot of pointless dialogue. I don't get this at all-- it seems like an amateurish effort. Can someone enlighten me?
AD
