I am currently (summer of 2006) watching "Barrera de Amor" on Univisión! I am not a soap opera fan, but have found myself enchanted with this telenovela, which I initially began watching to practice my Spanish skills. There is something about this series that draws me back to each episode, as enduring as the Thornbirds was when I watched it on TV as a child in the early 80s. "Barrera de Amor" has a classic Mexican feel to it--the scenery and cast are beautiful, and the acting is pretty decent, too--many characters, especially the beloved María Teresa, seem very sincere--as if you might want to know them in real life! The storyline is rather timeless--just the right balance of romance, redemption, love, hate & revenge, good & evil, that make it seem authentic, with a little melodrama added for spice and modern flavor. I was just online searching for more info on this telenovela, and it seems that it was released in Mexico last year, and was so successful that Spanish-speakers were eager for it to air in the US. As many telenovelas are later released for purchase on DVD, I am desperately hoping to find "Barrera de Amor" in this format--sadly, I missed the beginning of the series, since I didn't have Univisión at the time.
2 Reviews
Excellent
Venus-2512 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The exotically beautiful Yadhira Carillo stars in this two-generational tale that begins, in typical Televisa fashion, with a young woman robbed of the marriage she wanted and later robbed of her child. Fate later causes her to adopt the daughter of a murdered prostitute and also to learn that this girl is the half-sister of her own daughter. The two girls eventually meet in a Catholic girls' college where they become friends... and ultimately rivals over a handsome young matador who is the younger son of the man Maite should have been allowed to marry.
As usual the photography is beautiful; this time we also have location shooting in Canada for the scenes where we follow Valeria, Veronica, and Juanita to school. The performances are mostly good so far, with particularly intense histrionics by Raquel Olmedo as the highly toxic Jacinta, the mother-in-law from hell who stole Maite's daughter from her. Since she is guilty of hubris as well as at least three murders (so far) we know that she will meet a very bad end at the close of the story. Aaron Diaz as Andres is both sweet and sexy, with a look that recalls the Latin lovers of 1950s films. He looks sensational in the traje de luces and seems to have all the right moves. Chantal Andere is on hand as an ambitious young woman who marries for money while shagging the illegitimate son of Jacinta's late husband who, unfortunately for almost everyone, is pushing his son to pursue Maite's daughter... you get the picture.
Stick with this if you've started; there will be an exciting payoff soon.
You need to suspend a certain amount of disbelief, but it's worth it.
As usual the photography is beautiful; this time we also have location shooting in Canada for the scenes where we follow Valeria, Veronica, and Juanita to school. The performances are mostly good so far, with particularly intense histrionics by Raquel Olmedo as the highly toxic Jacinta, the mother-in-law from hell who stole Maite's daughter from her. Since she is guilty of hubris as well as at least three murders (so far) we know that she will meet a very bad end at the close of the story. Aaron Diaz as Andres is both sweet and sexy, with a look that recalls the Latin lovers of 1950s films. He looks sensational in the traje de luces and seems to have all the right moves. Chantal Andere is on hand as an ambitious young woman who marries for money while shagging the illegitimate son of Jacinta's late husband who, unfortunately for almost everyone, is pushing his son to pursue Maite's daughter... you get the picture.
Stick with this if you've started; there will be an exciting payoff soon.
You need to suspend a certain amount of disbelief, but it's worth it.
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