Los Pelayos

It's been awhile since my last review but I cannot stop myself from recommending this movie. Be warned that you won't get out of the movie palace knowing the tricks to pack gold on your pockets but maybe be able to question your everyday routine and finally pursue something else. The clan master has a dream but needs sons and relatives to implement it and those oblige themselves not without questioning their own personal reasons. Good performances... who would have guessed how boring playing roulette can be? But make no mistake... it's the conflict of interests of all involved who keep you tuned. Let's make this 10 lines for the sake of publishing! Cheers and enjoy!

This little film from Spain written by Piti Español and director/writer Eduard Cortés is currently in the On Demand section on television and hopefully Amazon will offer the version of the DVD that can be played on USA/Canada soon. Known also as WINNING STREAK it is a true story and the film is an exhilarating heist movie that tells the true story of a family who discovered the way to legally win at roulette. They were known as THE PELAYOS and they won hundreds of thousands of dollars at casinos around the world with an infallible method based on the roulette wheel's imperfection, their lifestyle is about to become better than their wildest dreams, as they set out to break the banks at casinos around the world.

Gonzalo Pelayo (Lluís Homar) is old but has a dream – to break the bank of casinos and become famous. He comes up with a way to chose number to win at the roulette wheel and convinces his son Iván (Daniel Brühl – is there a language this German actor has not mastered?) to gather a 'family' to bring off his dream. Iván gathers fishmonger Balón (Vicente Romero) and his strange cousins Marcos (Oriol Villa) and Alfredo (Miguel Ángel Silvestre) and together they manage to decipher a legal way to win. Thanks to their simple—, and more importantly, legal— method, the Pelayos were able to win hundreds of thousands of dollars at roulette tables around the world. They broke the banks at casinos across five continents; Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Australia, Paris, Madrid, Macao. Their incredible achievements became legendary, and not only in the casino world. As well as breaking the bank, their legend broke through borders, and they were soon famous the world over. THE PELAYOS is a film full of adventure which shows how ingenuity can transform 'insignificant' people into people capable of bringing down powerful companies. It is a film about lust for life, about taking on the world when you're 20 years old. It's the story of a group of people who find a more fun and exciting way to earn a living than they ever thought possible. They have their goal within their reach and surmounting the challenge will allow them.

There are love interests - Iván is a singer and falls for another singer Shui (Hui Chi Chiu) who also happens to his father's mistress, Alfredo falls for a croupier whom endangers because she works for the casino's manager, etc – and conflicts with the authorities but by and large this is a fast paced feisty entertainment with a bouncy cast to carry it off.

Grady Harp

Gonzalo Pelayo (Lluís Homar)'s dream has always been to go to win at a great casino . Unhealthy Gonzalo is a veteran man but has a marvelous dream to decipher a legal way to win and become a winner person . Gonzalo comes up with a way to chose number to win at the Casinos and he convinces his son Iván (Daniel Brühl) , a highly intelligent young , who strives to succeed and they , then , reunite their particular family . As various Spanish guys supported by an ill old man create a code in legal method to win money at the casinos . As Iván gets together fishmonger Balón (Vicente Romero) and his quirky cousins Marcos (Oriol Villa) and Alfredo (Miguel Ángel Silvestre , alias ¨El Duke¨) and both of whom they arrange to break the bank of casino by means of winning in roulettes gambles . All of them form a small but secretive club and are being trained by Gonzalo to the skill of win at the roulette wheel in international Casinos . Using their skills of code and hand signals , the bettors have made hundreds of thousands of Euros and dollars in wagers , winning at casino after casino , changing the game forever . They broke the banks at casinos across five continents : Ámsterdam , Las Vegas , Australia , Paris , Madrid , Vienna , Macao , Hong Kong . . . But their arrogance at winning put on the radar of a tough casino security enforcer , (Eduard Fernández) , who is working on his own personal agenda , as he holds a mutual grudge of some kind against Gonzalo which threatens to undo everything the members have learned and earned . Ultimately, greed , pride , ego , desperation and reckoning all play a role in how involvement in this group affects Gonzalo's life plan .

An impressively crafted , well-played flick , founded on a perfectly calibrated screenplay whose emotional grip tightens as it proceeds . There takes place a thrilling cat and mouse game , as well as an intense battle of wits between a wise but sickly veteran excellently played by Luis Homar and a cerebral , stubborn security controller , magnetically performed by Eduard Fernández . Being inspired by real events in with a group of bettings were able to win hundreds of thousands of dollars at roulette tables around the world as their incredible achievements became legendary , and not only in the small casinos . This ¨The Pelayos¨ bears remarkable resemblance to ¨21 BlackJack¨ (2008) by Robert Luketic , also starred by a gang of freaks who defy a two-fisted agent , being played by Jim Sturgess , Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey . The protagonist of this great success results to be Daniel Bhrul who was born in Barcelona and brought up in a fully multilingual home , as he speaks fluent German , English, Portuguese , Spanish , French and Catalan , displaying a successful national and international career with a lot of hits as ¨Eva¨ , ¨Intruders¨, ¨Krabat¨, ¨Good bye Lenin¨ , ¨The Fifth Estate¨ and ¨Rush¨. Luis Homar is simply awesome , he steals the show as an old , illness-stricken but super-intelligent gambler . Agreeable support cast gives nice acting as Miguel Ángel Silvestre , Oriol Vila , Vicente Romero , Blanca Suárez as gorgeous crupier , Marina Salas and special mention for the astute and revengeful Casino chief masterfully played by Eduard Fernández . The picture deservedly had several prizes , it Won Gaudí Award Best Production Manager : Eduard Vallès , Gaudí Award Best Film not in the Catalan Language and Nominated best art design and cinematography . Besides , Málaga Spanish Film Festival 2012 : Won Silver Biznaga Best Film Editing .

In addition , it displays a colorful photography in juicy atmosphere , being filmed by David Omedes , deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameramen , who has shot successes as ¨Salvador¨, "To Hell with the Ugly", ¨Special's chef¨ , ¨My mothers likes women¨ and ¨A night at old Mexico¨ . Being filmed on location in Barcelona, Catalonia, Lloret de Mar, Girona , Palma, Mallorca , Balearic Islands , Gran Casino Mallorca . Lively and atmospheric musical score by Micka Luna . Well and lavishly produced by Loris Omedes , Julio Piedra and Gonzalo e Ivan Garcia Pelayo . The motion picture was professionally directed by Eduard Cortes . Here Cortés , also writer , was inspired by the true events of a band who were trained to become experts in bets and subsequently took many casinos for millions in winnings . His film ¨Nobody's life¨ with Jose Coronado , was very nicely received , being debut director Eduard Cortés , from the world of television , where he has extensive experience as a director of TV3 regional channel . He has realized several TV episodes for known series and subsequently shooting other films as ¨Ingrid¨ , ¨Otros Dias Vendran¨ , ¨La Caverna¨, ¨Atraco¨ and this ¨The Pelayos¨ . The motion picture will appeal to quartet protagonist fans , Daniel Bhrul , Luis Homar , Miguel Angel Silvestre , Blanca Suarez ; all of them make an excellent work . Rating : Better than average , worthwhile watching