# Abre los ojos (1997)

### reviewed by
Ian Waldron-Mantgani

    Open Your Eyes      ***

Rated on a 4-star scale Screening venue: Cornerhouse (Manchester) Released in the UK by Redbus on February 25, 2000; certificate 15; 119 minutes; country of origin Spain; aspect ratio 1.85:1

Directed by Alejandro Amenábar; produced by Fernando Bovaira, José Luis Cuerda. Written by Alejandro Amenábar, Mateo Gill. Photographed by Hans Burmann; edited by Maria Elena Sainz de Rozas.

    CAST.....
    Eduardo Noriega..... César
    Penélope Cruz..... Sofía
    Fele Martínez..... Pelayo
    Chete Lera..... Antonio
    Najwa Nimri..... Nuria
    Gérard Barray..... Duvernois

Being tickled is horrible as well as enjoyable, but worth it for that moment of relief when the tickler finally stops. Alejandro Amenábar's "Open Your Eyes" is like that. The film involves us in one man's private hell, as his life falls apart and his understanding of why keeps lessening; but by the time it's over, and he gets an answer, we're so glad to stop holding our breath we leave grinning.

It's hard to describe the film's premise without spoiling any surprises. Eduardo Noriega plays César, who we first meet in a high-security psychiatric facility, trying to convince a psychiatrist that he is not guilty of whatever crime he's been accused of, and telling the doctor all he remembers of recent months. César was a promiscuous cad, we learn, who was involved in a car accident which left him horribly disfigured and bitterly angry.

His vile temper strained his friendships with best buddy Pelayo (Fele Martínez) and love interest Sofía (Penélope Cruz), until, César remembers, plastic surgeons managed to repair his face. His life started to get better, but then he suffered memory loss, saw people's faces change into those of others, and experienced various other weird happenings.

What was, and is, going on? Is César mad, or is somebody playing an elaborate prank? Is anything real? And of what significance is the cryptic Mr. Duvernois (Gérard Barray)? "Open Your Eyes", originally titled "Abre Los Ojos", involves and entangles us with these urgent questions until we DEMAND an explanation. It's been quite a while since I've seen a movie mystery, but this is clearly a good one.

Amenábar, the director, occasionally takes us inside César's dreams, but mostly relies on the screenplay's drama to be surreal enough, shooting his picture without a lot of flashy tricks. This is a good tactic, because it draws us in more realistically than a film like "The Matrix", which was more fun for style than story.

The performances, too, walk the line between the mundane and the strange. Noriega, Cruz, Martínez and Najwa Nimri speak and carry themselves fast and slow, confidently and cautiously. It's odd, and yet not odd, and certainly hard to describe... I guess it's intended that way.

"Open Your Eyes" is better than "The Sixth Sense", another recent film with an odd feel and surprise ending, which got great reviews, huge revenues and six Oscar nominations. I thought that movie was a con, purporting to be about one thing, making us wait for that thing's payoff, then pulling a stupid trick out of its hat with the hope of dazzling us. "Open Your Eyes", from very early on, takes unexpected turns, makes seemingly impossible twists and draws us into a confusing puzzle. When we realise what the score is, and everything slots into place, it's exactly what we've been waiting for.

COPYRIGHT(c) 2000 Ian Waldron-Mantgani

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