Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

If the people who write definitions for dictionaries were to come up with a definition for "sex thriller", they would probably use Pedro Almodovar's film Live Flesh as the definition. Not really because it is graphic (I've seen far more extreme scenes), but because Live Flesh actually revolves around sex. Unlike Body of Evidence, or Basic Instinct, where the sex is meant to spice up the lame murder plots, Live Flesh is all about people and their passions, and the violent events are a result of those passions.

The story begins in the 70's, where a prostitute (Penelope Cruz) gives birth to Victor on a bus. Later, we see him in his 20's as a pizza delivery boy who attempts to search for Elena (Francesca Neri), who he had his first sexual experience with, in the unromantic setting of the public toilets. He rides the Madrid bus for hours, hoping to find her, and soon enough he does, as she happens to stride outside of her apartment. So he goes there.

Elena is pretty screwed up. She is a drug addict, looking hopelessly for her next fix, and dismissive of Victor to the point that she threatens him first with calling the police, then with a gun. The police end up getting called anyway by a neighbour, and in a darkly funny moment, the police are lead to believe that Victor is some crazed lunatic (it doesn't help that Victor is obviously terrified). Things get worse, and soon Victor is tossed in the slammer for shooting David (Javiar Bardan), one of the cops, now paralysed from the waist down by the bullet.

Six years later. Victor is let out and plots revenge. You see, he didn't really shoot the cop; during a scuffle at the apartment, the crazed cop Sancho pushed Victor's trigger finger, causing David to be shot. So Victor is really an innocent man, and how many wrongly accused men would not at least contemplate a revenge plot? But, hey, this is not what you would expect of a revenge plot! Victor wants to find Elena, to prove to her that he didn't deserve to be brushed off. He wants to take her for a passionate evening, make her beg for more, and then brush her off like she did him. But there may be a few problems; turns out Elena is now married to David, the cop who saved her, not just from Victor, but from the seedy lifestyle of her past. And Victor himself commits infidelity with another woman, a middle-aged woman, Carla (Angela Molina), who is married (very unhappily) to Sancho. This particular infidelity is interesting, because Victor sees her as a teacher, one who can teach him the ways of love. He needs to know before his revenge can be perfectly executed.

Everything about Live Flesh is pretty foolish, and how could it be otherwise? I do think Almodovar knows how silly it is, which is why there are so many silly moments that will either make you laugh or make you stare quizzically at the screen. I can think of many such moments: the birthing sequence, as the bus driver first gets ticked off at the gall of these people to demand a drive while he is off duty, then suddenly feels like a bit of a hero. Victor's sentimental confession to a drug-addicted Elena: "We had a good f**k. You were my first....." His eagerness at Clara's "lessons". And, finally, Victor talking to Elena on a park bench, telling her in graphic detail his plot of revenge, saying that he used to think that way but no longer. Which, of course, gets Elena hot and bothered enough to..... well, you know!

Speaking of which, there are a few sex scenes in this movie, especially the much-anticipated scene between Victor and Elena, which is overly melodramatic (there's even a lot of sweat splashing about!). But, hey, the whole point was that Victor would give Elena so much pleasure she'd feel like "you were split in two", so it's all good. And we get to witness the pleasures of Francesca Neri, in all her naked splendour.

The characterizations that were the most interesting were those by Angela Molina and Javiar Bardan. Molina obviously enters into her infedility with Victor because she is lonely, and in a terrible marriage. There is real pain in her inability to walk out of this damaging situation. She obviously needs any kind of love that isn't the sort she gets from Sancho, who cheats on her and slaps her around. Bardan's character is interesting, too, because, despite his paralyisis, he is a very aggressive individual. A good example of this is when he confronts Victor, telling him that he
is crazy about his wife and will make sure Victor does not cause any trouble.

Live Flesh is not a great movie, but it is very amusing, twisted, and filled with passion, and is certainly good enough for at least a few cheap thrills.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age