April finishes, and movies continue to appear; European movies that I'm watching. This movie, whether Spanish, because they sometimes talk in Spanish and the actors and directors are from Spain; or from Italy, because of the title and most of the dialogs: It's Europe. I watched this movie, again, to see something different, like I have seen in others; I haven't been disappointed yet.
"Anita no perd el tren" or "Anita no pierde el tren" is a warm and charming story about relationships, age and incredible situations. It's Anita's (Rosa Maria Sardà) story; about Anita's situations, age and relationships. We get the change (because Ventura Pons gives it to us) to get inside Anita's life. She likes to talk very much, and the film makes sure she looks at the audience to tell everything she's telling about her life.
She will not tell her whole life; she's fifty. She will start from the day she got "fired" after lots of working years as an attendant in a cinema. Her boss told her to take some vacations. When she's back, a new cinema is being built. Now we see Anita and follow her during her routine and loneliness. She has an only friend, much younger than her; Natalia (María Barranco). Natalia listens to Anita and advices her because of the experience she has, mostly with younger people. When Natalia asks why Anita got fired: "I'm old", Anita answers. "Old is not good for the new cinema". But is old good for other things. Apparently for love, it is. The friendship between Anita and Natalia is real; we sense the truth in their words.
Now we get to see Anita dealing with a love relationship in her fifties. She has and odd way of dealing with things. She talks to anyone, asking for advice, and repeats the things she'll forget to every person that crosses her. When she meets Antonio (José Coronado) and his machine, she feels safe. Then, when Antonio leaves her a photograph in a café, her heart wakes up. A dinner with Natalia, and talks about the "relationship rules" come soon, but are worth it. Anita doesn't exactly know what Antonio sees in her, and why he wants to be with her when he tells her he's married; but it's not important when she's waking up to life again (she suddenly feels proud to be Antonio's lover). There's a bond between them and we can't guess if it's lust or love; but we sense something while they're having sex and he talks about important things and so does she.
Anita will come to find out many things during the film, and she will tell us. Things that will amaze her and us; profound thoughts about life when you're fifty and more. These feelings are transmitted through Sardà's face. She makes her character so sympathetic, that if you're fourteen years old, you'll see her as a girl of your age, who's falling in love for the first time. Recognized actress María Barroco steals the best parts as the "party woman" who feels young and beautiful. She captures us wit her unique voice as she explains that "the best sex is in the mind, not in the body". "I 'm looking for intellectual men", she explains Anita. "When I meet a guy, I ask him what is the last book he has read and if he says something vaguely literal, I open my heart for him". José Coronado is outstanding in his Antonio. He gives the correct amount of passion to the character, desperate for something without knowing probably why, although not eliminating the shyness; which limits him and his approaches with women.
The characters make the film, which has so much to say and show
It's all effective in a comedy that works without even generating laughs. In the end, we don't ask ourselves anything, because we know Anita could live another day, and talk to us about it; but then the movie would last forever.
