Madrid, 1987

An extremely talky film based on a slender premise, David Trueba's claustrophobic Madrid, 1987 nonetheless has its strong points, notably in the performance of José Sacristan as Miguel, a cynical married journalist who takes pretty university student Angela (Maria Valverde)—approaching Miguel for advice on her writing—to a friend's apartment for less than honorable purposes. Before he can lure her into bed, however, Miguel and Angela wind up locked naked in a cramped bathroom, where for hours Miguel pontificates on anything and everything, with Angela serving as a mostly mute listener. Much of the writing here is sharp and amusing, and Sacristan delivers the lines with winning irascibility, but the film simply drags on too long. The dating of the characters' none-too-brief encounter to a period when Spain was still struggling to confront the realities of the post-Franco era suggests that Madrid, 1987 is intended as a sort of microcosm of the relationship between the country's old and new generations. But it may be difficult for non-natives or those unfamiliar with contemporary Spanish history to appreciate that subtext. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)