Drugs , unemployment , abort and other dramatic events about delinquency . Brooding and thought-provoking look about young delinquents , junkies and jobless in Spain from the 80s . Intelligent , shocking and thrilling film based on facts about juvenile delinquency in Madrid , Spain . Portrait of Madrid early 80's showing in a realist style the Spanish way of life , being especially reflected the low-class . In the tradition of typical underground films at the time, you can see a hidden image of Spain . The image of low-class , drug dealers , margined districts and complete self governing cities inside the city . It deals with a trio of inseparable friends turned delinquents , together they share friendship , brotherhood and loyalty . Two inseparable , best friends named Jose (Jose Luis Manzano) and Antonio (Antonio Flores who along with Rosario result to be sons from La Faraona or Lola Flores , a real myth in Spain) are forced into street hustling and ever-expanding life of crime when one impregnates the sister named Rosario (Rosario Flores) of the other and they then attempt to earn money . The protagonists choose to live dangerously and they are forced to take a life of crime to survive and saving some money , as they will need to take care of the situation to provoke an abortion . In order to get money , both of them scheme and carry out robberies in and around Madrid barrios . So , they'll have to gather some money and anything that's necessary to obtain it , but the events get worse .
¨Colegas¨ is one of several movies dealing with youth delinquency in Spain during the 70s and early 80s along with ¨Perros Callejeros I and II¨ , ¨Perras Callejeras¨ , ¨ Los Ultimos Golpes Del Torete¨, ¨Yo el Vaquilla¨, mostly realized by Jose Antonio De La Loma , ¨Navajeros , "Colegas" , "El Pico 1 y 2" and later ¨La Estanquera De Vallecas ¨ by Eloy De La Iglesia , and especially ¨Deprisa , Deprisa¨ by Carlos Saura , among others . Many of them starred by unknown young people and authentic delinquents extracted from urban environments . These films turned to be shocking and realistic and were notorious in the years of the Spanish transition to democracy , including provoking and polemic issues such as heroin addiction , sex and violence . Realist sets as well in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog and attempting to take a position in favor of outcast people . Drugs , delinquency and generational problems are the habitual subjects in these films and specially dedicated to the underworld of heroin and a very realistic look at drug addiction . In ¨Colegas¨ we watch the adventures a trio of eighteen-years-old youngsters committing some crimes but also trying to help themselves , however Eloy De La Iglesia gets to make a both lyric and documentary-style flick . A great look at young life and friendship in the margined side let the story flow efficiently and being realized in realistic style . We see their troubles growing in such slums , impoverished neighborhoods from Madrid and outskirts and some fine locations . The director creates a sort of Spanish Neo-Realism by tackling the juvenile delinquency in the Madrid streets from a sociological point of view . After the dead of the dictator Franco, an avalanche of drugs , rock and radical leftist and independence activism flooded Spain . This transformed certain areas of the main Spanish cities into wild areas . Full of explicit violence and drugs, with an appropriately selected soundtrack , resembles the total freedom and anarchy atmosphere of that times and places . Eloy De La Iglesia shows sad and poor slums , and toughness and cold existence of their people . The screenplay by Gonzalo Goicoechea is such strong with disagreeable events , including lots of nudism , violent scenes , though also with some ingenuousness . Eloy De La Iglesia chose young and natural actors as Jose Luis Manzano , Antonio Flores who plays some songs and El Pirri who interpret their part to the hilt , unafraid of filmmaker's unsympathetic camera and the particularity of the characters . Unfortunately , Manzano , Antonio , Pirri along with the director De La Iglesia early died by drugging . Passable photography with juicy atmosphere by Hans Burman , deemed one of the best Spanish cameraman , but unfortunately turns too much murky in some video print , being necessary a a correct remastering .
The motion picture is professionally directed by Eloy De La Iglesia though with some flaws and gaps . De La Iglesia is a good Spanish movies director , he began working in cinema in 1966, though he became notorious in the years of the Spanish transition to democracy with shocking and polemic films as ¨El Pico 1 and 2¨ , ¨El Diputado¨, ¨The priest , ¨Clockwork terror¨ , ¨La Otra Alcoba¨ , ¨El Techo De Cristal¨, ¨La Semana Del Asesino¨ , and after ¨Bulgarian lovers¨ and many others . Drugs , delinquency, terrorism and generational problems are the habitual subjects in his films , and specially dedicated to the underworld of heroin ; as well as the gay world . With the passing of time hasn't had no mercy with most of Eloy's movies, but represent a time and a way of life in the history of Spain , during as called 'Transicion' ; and now they may seem a little bit ingenious . As Eloy De La Iglesia chose young and natural actors as Jose Luis Manzano , Pirri, or Quique San Francisco , his fetish actor , all of them were the usual ones . Rating : 5,5 , Acceptable and passable.
