Estranha Forma de Vida

I remember watching the trailers for "A Strange Way of Life" months ago and very much anticipating this movie. I tracked the release through Spain and other countries before it came around to the United States.

Though the movie is a short film, it was very interesting to watch, however not enough gay scenes to even portray being gay in the old west. I may watch it again, however my expectations have been lowered at this point.

My recommendation? Definitely watch it as it is a good movie! I'm even thinking of watching it again - which shows how good the movie stands on its own. For those who are sensitive to gay drama and themes, you have nothing to worry about with this movie. Gay is insinuated, but not completely played-out.

At the start of this short film the lip-synced actor Manu Ríos (who moves middlingly the lips silently in synchronization with the pre-recorded soundtrack) performs a song and actually sung by Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso, the title is inspired by this ballad sung at the beginning. After many years Silva (Pedro Pascal) rides a horse across the desert to visit his friend Sheriff Jake (Ethan Hawke). They celebrate the meeting, but the next morning Jake tells him that reason for his trip is not to go down the memory lane of their friendship. Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal play a sheriff and a cowboy who meet 25 twenty-five years years after having lived a few days full of desire and sensuality. However, the reason for this meeting is not only to relive the past, as Pascal has a secret agenda.

This is the second short film in English (after The Human Voice starred by Tilda Swinton) directed by Pedro Almodovar. This movie is inspired by the Portuguese poem song by Amália Rodrigues called "Strange Way of Life¨or "Estranha forma de vida", released in 1959. A disruptive tribute to the spaghetti Western with overtones of melodrama where Almodóvar explores the sexuality of two cowboys, middle-aged men, who have lived a life far behind their own desires, as director Pedro himself explains. It has a pleasant soundtrack by Alberto Iglesias, ordinary composer of Almodovar films. As well as colorful cinematography by José Luis Alcaine who also worked a lot with Almodóvar. And the Costume Designs are signed by Saint Laurent and Anthony Vaccarello. Being shot on location in Desierto de Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, Poblado Western 'Sergio Leone', Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, and Mesa de Ocaña, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha.

This ¨Strange Way of Life¨ is a strange mix between "Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain" (2005) and Spaghetti Western sub-genre , and only the second English-language feature by Pedro Almodóvar, the first being La voz humana (2020). This was filmed in the Tabernas desert, the place where Sergio Leone set his most legendary Spaghetti Westerns, such as: ¨Fistful of dollars", "For a fistful of dollars more", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" and "Once upon a time in the West¨. Being a project produced by Pedro Almodovar himself y his brother Agustin Almodovar with their production company El Deseo and the first film financed by Saint Laurent Productions, a production company from the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house and the head designer, Anthony Vaccarello, also served as an associate producer and gowns designer on the film. In 2023 Cannes Film Festival "Strange Way of Life" (2023) was nominated Queer Palm - Short Film.

It's literally a short film. Only half an hour and the ending leaves you perplexed and wondering what is it the director wanted to say or is it just a window into the hidden love and lust of cowboys for each other in times past. The acting leaves alot to be desired and the plot I found to be overly simplistic. There are some scenes of passion especially the younger actors who in flashbacks of both the sheriff and this ex lover share their love and passion for each other in a wine drinking splashing rolling moment in the movie. Plus a very short sequence of the older ones in bed together after they have dinner. This short film reminded me of back mountain and thinking why this one too wasn't made into something on par in depth and sophistication with that. In one word it was disappointing.

I am reviewing because there are so many negative reviews. Thought this was a beautiful glimpse into the universe of some beautifully portrayed characters. Both Ethan and Pedro did a great job. I loved their chemistry. Pedro especially was very moving in his role. This short film packed a heavy emotional punch for me and I would love to see it as a feature film. (as for the negative reviews, if you have to say you're not homophobic in your review, you probably are). As for the complaints about the use of the green jacket. I loved it, loved all the costuming. It made Pedro's character stand out, which I assume was the point.

With its bold colours, heightened melodrama and clunky dialogue, 'Strange Way Of Life (2023)' often feels like a parody of... itself, I guess. Those already accustomed to Pedro Almodóvar's work will recognise these elements, as well as the sincere camp aesthetic they contribute to. However, here it doesn't cohere as well as it typically does in the director's other movies. Perhaps his dialogue has always been this dodgy but, not being a native Spanish speaker, I haven't picked up on it; either way, even actors as good as Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal struggle to sell the dialogue here. Still, the piece operates on a kind of down-to-Earth unreality that just about works. A bigger issue is that the story just... ends. Like, almost in the middle of a sentence. It feels as though the screenplay was still being written when Yves Saint Laurent's production company called and offered a green light on the condition that filming started almost then and there, so Almodóvar put down his pen and picked up his viewfinder and shot what he had. There's a lot more that could have been done with this tale of long-burning, societally repressed romance; the ending feels like the midpoint of a much more affecting feature-length affair. Another smaller issue with the flick is that it's nowhere near as erotically charged as you may expect. Hawke and Pascal do a good job at conveying their barely hidden attraction for one another, and there's a sense of tragedy that underlines their once-flourishing relationship, but they display no real physical connection and the only time they get hot and heavy is in a flashback (when their characters are portrayed by younger actors). Their connection is believable, but not as fleshed out as it could have been. It's also remarkably tame if you're familiar with Almodóvar's earlier efforts. Ultimately, though, the piece is entertaining enough for what it is. It has a solid central story that's underexplored but interesting, and two strong lead performances that lend authenticity to the generally clumsy screenplay. It's not a bad effort, by any means. It's just not as moving, or fun, as I'd like it to be.