25 Carat (2008)
9/10
Gritty, lyric roller coaster - an unexpected treat
31 December 2009
I saw this film in Catalan with no subtitles in an art house in Barcelona. I had no expectations; I went in blind by pure chance.

Usually a critic of Spanish films and its celebration of the mediocre, I fell in love with this film.

The main characters are Abel and Kay, though you don't find that out easily. In my notes, I just refer to him as "creepy guy" till I do find out his name. And indeed, the film begins with a creepy guy and a bad girl. Why should I follow them on their journey? Because they are as riveting as their journey.

It takes you on a roller coaster ride that you don't want to get off. Emotional, suspenseful, and disorienting, its unique sense of rhythm keeps you uncomfortable and heavy with anticipation - but of what you have no idea.

This film needs to be picked up for broader distribution. Even in Spain, it wasn't well-known. Come on, Lions Gate or Miramax.
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