Besos de gato

This is one of those thrillers they seem to do so well in Spain - a nail-biting ride, but with plenty of brain and heart.

As another reviewer has already said, it follows a simple Odyssey structure - a single night in Madrid, as a father (Fran) searches for his daughter and her boyfriend. The themes of family, guilt, decadence, corruption and retribution are all intertwined as we are inducted into the underworld of Madrid, with Fran as our guide.

Puigcorbe judges the performance very well - by turns aggressive, introspective; calm and rational one minute and paranoid and delusional the next. There are moments where the plot is a little unbelievable, for some tastes it may be a little overacted in places, and the music can be a little obviously manipulative, but these are minor flaws in an otherwise excellent film. I saw it on cinema release in Spain, and am disappointed it never got a proper showing in the UK. Having tracked it down on DVD, I wasn't disappointed second time around.

This Spanish film deals with Fran" (Juanjo Puigcorbé as an action hero), a successful advocate at law who has a wealthy and comfortable life but limited communication with his wife (Lola Marceli , in real life married Juanjo Puigcobe , though subsequently divorced) and two sons . That night happens some unusual , his lovely daughter named "Carlota" (Leticia Dolera), doesn't get back home , so "Fran", urged by his wife has to locate his missing 16-year-old daughter . Later on , the daddy finds "Carlota" at a nightclub called Pacha . "Carlota" tells her fiancé named "Chema" has disappeared, and refuses to return home without having found . After that , both of whom go after him . The night ends up being crucial to "Fran" and ¨Carlota¨ , as they are wandering in streets and sleaze slums , discovering sordid atmospheres in some places in Madrid . They visit dark Discoteques and find pimps , junkies , whores , delinquents and mobsters .

This interesting movie packs action , thrills , fights , drama , intrigue , plot twists and manages to keep spectators in suspense . The picture relies lively on the enjoyable relationship between the father , masterfully played by Juanjo Puigcorbe, and his daughter well acted by Leticia Dolera ; both of them discover terrible secrets , though at the ending takes place an emotive redemption and regains the affection of Carlota . Agreeable film , fast-paced , well narrated and plenty of twists and turns . Juanjo Puigcorbé is very good as "Fran" , a corrupt lawyer who is caught in middle of the mistakes of his life , being accompanied by his teenager daughter , rightly performed by Leticia Dolera who subsequently would have an acceptable career . Good support cast full of known actors as Imanol Arias , Antonio Resines and Antonio Dechent . Special mention to Jose Sancho who also makes a splendid performance as a seedy gangster . Furthermore , brief appearances from Ruth Gabriel , Tony Fuentes , Ivan Sanchez , among others . Thrilling as well as emotive musical score by Victor Reyes . Colorful cinematography by Jaume Peracaula who shows efficiently the bustling streets , dump and den of vice in Madrid . The motion picture was well directed by Rafael Alcazar . He is a good craftsman who has directed a few films and being expert on thriller and dramas such as proved : 1996 Corsarios del chip , 1993 El Laberinto Griego and 1988 No Hagas Planes con Marga . ¨Besos De Gato ¨resulted to be his last and best movie but failed at Spanish box office . Rating : Good picture , a notable film which will appeal to Juanjo Puigcorbe fans.

Spanish film seems to be on a roll lately, and this one just adds to the wealth of creative output. In this film, the dad, a lawyer to sleazy and connected clients (with a battling wife who represents the poor), has to travel the club/drug scene to locate his missing 16-year-old daughter.

He finds the daughter, but a new search ensues, and while the dad lectures the daughter on lifestyle issues, his own past, business dealings and propensity to violence put the father-daughter relationship in a fascinating dynamic.

The lead actor (Juanjo Puigcorbé) is a treat, with a face that shows humor, irony, and world-weariness. He carries this film easily. The violence and events are realistic, and the climax is poignant and heart-rending.

Hopefully this will see a US distribution. Until then, search it out at a festival near you.