DVD Review: Sex and Lucia (B-)

Sex and Lucia (2001)
Directed by Julio Medem
Starring Paz Vega, Trist›n Ulloa and Najwa Nimri
MPAA: NC-17
Grade: B-

Review by Scott Standish

Sex and Lucia is a sensual love story that might be a little too difficult for most moviegoers. Powered by cleverly structured jumps in time and loaded with unusual characters its not your average day at the cinema. However, for those who favor sexually charged foreign art films this is one to check out.

The absolutely gorgeous Paz Vega stars as Lucia, a Madrid waitress that is totally free-spirited. Her boyfriend Tristan is a successful writer that is going through a serious funk as he attempts to write a followup to his debut novel. They lose each other and Lucia retreats to a small island that Tristan has talked about in depth. There she learns to live and love again, only to find that her past is not as far behind as she thought.

The structure of this sometimes brilliant film by director Julio Medem can be bewildering at times. Tristan explains a bedtime story as being circular, but with the ending re-emerging inside the center of the story. That is perhaps the best way I can describe the non-linear narrative at work here. Unfortunately Paz Vega's powerful performance seems to be made a little less accessable by these complicated jumps in time.

The striking visuals and steamy relationships manage to power this story forward despite the intentionally confusing timelines. A huge hit in Spain, Sex and Lucia offers great acting, some tasty scenery and more than enough sex appeal. Like the cool blue waters of this movie's location, Sex and Lucia is a film to let wash over you, allowing it's vaguely defined emotions to absorb over time.

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