Live Flesh

Goldwyn Films | Release Date: January 16, 1998

7.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 34 Ratings

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JasonE.Jun 6, 2007

Another overstuffed and convoulted vivacious mess from that oft-adored consummately colorful artiste from Spain, Aldmodovar. I'm not quite certain why he felt compelled to include a political prologue and epilogue to what is a melodrama Another overstuffed and convoulted vivacious mess from that oft-adored consummately colorful artiste from Spain, Aldmodovar. I'm not quite certain why he felt compelled to include a political prologue and epilogue to what is a melodrama with a sliver of social commentary. Typically, the performances are impassioned and committed, especially Bardem who foreshadows his miraculous wooden turn in "Te Sea Inside." However, what mostly troubled me is Aldmodovar's salacious yearning to portray the men as unworthy of these delectable yet self-righteous femme fatales. Admirable as it may be to avoid such seemingly obvious scenes that display evidence of spousal abuse, Almodovar's alignment with the piously important 'Rabal' smacks more of his selfish sexual longing than out of narrative obligation. That being said, who could avoid feeling longing when such fine physical specimens are shot with such desirable yummyness. My goodness, am I envious of the Spanish skin tone. Both the characterizations and narrative plotting are strongest from the late 1st act through the end of the second. The rest is all a bit far-fetched and trying.… Expand

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dierregiSep 24, 2013

Victor is a proletarian guy, born on bus by a mother working as a prostitute (shown in an overlong introduction and pointless to the rest of the movie) who falls for Elena, an upper class junkie. Actually, he just has casual sex with her onceVictor is a proletarian guy, born on bus by a mother working as a prostitute (shown in an overlong introduction and pointless to the rest of the movie) who falls for Elena, an upper class junkie. Actually, he just has casual sex with her once and becomes erotically obsessed with her.

He stalks her to her apartment and stubbornly refuses to leave her alone. A fight ensues and Sancho and David, a couple of cops appear on the scene. David gets paralyzed by a gunshot and ends up married to Elena.

Victor gets to jail, but he is still obsessed with Elena and continues stalking her once he gets out four years later. Already unconvincing, the story takes a turn for the absurd when Elena shows a growing interest for Victor, who continues to confuse obsession with love.

In the meantime, Victor is also sexually involved with Clara, Sancho's wife (very believable plot twist). Clara is giving him lessons to become the best lover in the world, Victor's top ambition so as to astonish Elena with his performance. It sounds like a demented plot, but I am not making it up.

Probably one of the weakest Almodovar's films, it contains the inevitable steamy sex scene, which are Almodovar trademark and it is disgraced even further by an absurd "happy ending", which sees stalker and prey happily together, while Elena is giving birth to their child on a car (back to the start, in a sort of circular move).

P.S. to make the matter worse, throughout the whole movie Victor blames Elena, David and everybody else for his misfortunes, conveniently avoiding to notice that the whole drama arose from his obsession.… Expand

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alejandro970Feb 27, 2022

Casualidad, pasión, celos, rencor, venganza. Sólo alguien como Almodóvar supo cómo articular esas palabras en una historia que captura la curiosidad del espectador, lo suficiente para ponerse en la piel de los personajes. Es aquí donde JavierCasualidad, pasión, celos, rencor, venganza. Sólo alguien como Almodóvar supo cómo articular esas palabras en una historia que captura la curiosidad del espectador, lo suficiente para ponerse en la piel de los personajes. Es aquí donde Javier Bardem saldría del anonimato.… Expand

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DeanomiteFeb 1, 2020

The Skin live in was so good have gone through Almodovar's other movies, up chronologically, not liked any so far. I am starting to see the pattern, good looking guys get obsessed with slutty or unattractive women. It's like trashyThe Skin live in was so good have gone through Almodovar's other movies, up chronologically, not liked any so far. I am starting to see the pattern, good looking guys get obsessed with slutty or unattractive women. It's like trashy romance novels. Javier Bardem is really good and has an excellent voice. The script on this one has good twists, +2 points for a script so crazy it is still being understood as credits roll.… Expand

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NickTheCritickNov 14, 2021

Five characters, five different people of whom Almodovar tells the story matching them in this movie half road between a detective and melodrama. This is an enjoyable movie (as everything Almodovar does) tough not his best one.

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