Χαρακίρι, Μου Λείπεις

Morgynb

Your tolerance for this film is probably dictated by how much you would enjoy hanging out with some mid twenties lads in a flat share and then following them out on the lash. Not much? Me neither.In terms of plot, this is it — and while it might resemble something like one shot wonder Victoria in the kinetic energy of its nightlife scenes, it doesn’t have any overarching plot to follow. Instead, it is just scenes of ‘boys being boys’, so whatever tension there is comes from whether they will overstep the mark or not. Regarding the woman in the flat: are they going to let her leave? Regarding their drunken fall out: will they throw each other off that bridge? If there is a connecting thread through it all it is a slightly obtuse one about mothers insofar a song in praise of them opens proceedings and contrasts with frequent allusions to an unloving family life experienced by one of the protagonists. But does he need a father figure as well? Rather the wise parking attendant they encounter than the taxi driver — who leads the crew in misogynist laughter as the city rolls by at dawn, a welcome moment of stillness signalling the fresh potential of a new day. Except they are straight back at it come breakfast time.I’m sure the end is meant to evoke the conclusion of my recent watch Shame, as a recursive reminder of the Deleuze quote that kicks everything off: “the shame of being a man…is there any better reason to write?”My film festival in London. Day 18/31Attending a premiere is a must for any film festival goer. This was the first UK screening of this 2025 release. And free!

Carlos Valladares4.0

Mia Quinn cajoled me into coming out for this one, and man am I glad I did. Miraculously, this cuts through all the expectations you’d have for its obsequiously Husbands-y, three-wild-n-crazy-guys premise. Do we need another one of those kind of movies? Well, yes, if it’s made like this. The ways of man don’t change (or rather they change at the pace of growing creeping moss), and it’s a sheer pleasure seeing the latest sour-sweet historical dispatch on homosocial inarticulation. Reminded me (loosely) of if 90s Ferrara had decided to remake both Forman’s Loves of a Blonde and Truffaut’s L’argent de poche at the same time. Went to the screening with the Q&A for the Downtown Fest, where according the Director Alejandro Castro Arias we were told the shoot was, to put it mildly, hectic. Well, hell — I’d say it was all worth it…. I think ?! Extremely gutted to hear that the two most indelible performances here — I mean, they’re all indelible, especially Inés Efron as the lonely neighbor, but these two guys in particular: the security guard for a parking complex who tries to save the chamacos from themselves, and the lewd hilarious taxi driver who reminds them of what they may become — died after their scenes wrapped. It was already a special movie, but to know that… Damn. Lightning in a bottle. Two miraculous bit parts out of a 30s Warner Brothers film. And I wish Alejandro the best on his future projects !! Very beautifully observed and embodied Madrid, too.

Liss5.0

Perhaps my most confusing case of rooting for the bad guys I’ve felt in a while. The boys are really quite naughty! But so, so entertaining, I really didn’t want it to stop. Perfectly balanced the line of cringing at/relating to the leads and genuinely worrying for the people around them. Really great musings on grey areas. Another banger from NAU. Truly one of the best, no bs live Q&As I’ve ever seen haha. Always love how NAU depicts Madrid. Each of the three leads brought something unique and compelling to the group dynamic. I could feel the sun rising at the end of the film. Watched at The Downtown Fest with Mike