¨Menudas Piezas¨ is a successful comedy film directed by Nacho G. Velilla that had a good run in Spanish cinemas. It is inspiring and emotional at the same time. Sincerely starring Alexandra Jiménez who plays the stubborn teacher Candela. She is a nouveau riche who denies the neighborhood in which she lived and to which she now has no choice but to return. When her husband (Alain Hernández) is unfaithful and after being fired from her job at a private school, Candela has no choice but to return to her hometown and ask for help from her sister (María Adanez) and her father (Francesc Orella), Whom she used to look down on as belonging to the lower class. She starts working at the high school in her old neighborhood, where she has to deal with a group of misfit teenagers such as a very badass leader, the typical outcast girl, the usual bully, and the smartest and at the same time worst student in the class. Thus Candela becomes a teacher who, after having spent more than ten years in a prestigious private high school, will return to the neighborhood where she grew up, having to take care of a group of kids that society has given up for lost. However, it is Candela who has the most to learn.
Menudas piezas (2024) is a sensitive, likeable and charming film, although the somewhat hackneyed script by David S. Olivas-Marta Sánchez-Nacho G. Velilla) is very much carrot and no stick, containing the typical seasonings of the genre. Although it seems a somewhat simplistic and old-fashioned story, there are kind messages and an attractive feeling that impacts and attracts the most sensitive viewer. Comedy star Alexandra Jiménez brings to life this true story about the change of course of a rebellious class belonging to a marginal neighborhood of Zaragoza in which a rather stubborn teacher manages to touch most of the right emotional fibers. This is another story exploiting the clichés of the genre referencing a savior teacher and showing a touching, gentle and standard portrait of the influence of a teacher in a class of poor teenagers. And supposedly based on true events, loosely inspired by Enrique Sánchez 'Donen', a teacher at the Virgen del Pilar school in Zaragoza who used chess to help troubled children and of whom photographs and images appear at the end of the film. This entertaining and funny film contains great feeling, drama, emotion and a quite convincing atmosphere of a neighborhood in Zaragoza. Menudas piezas (2024) belongs to the genre in which a teacher faces a variety of students, such as: ¨Blackboard jungle¨ by Richard Brooks with Glenn Ford, ¨To Sir, with Love¨ by James Clavell with Sydney Poitier, ¨Stand and deliver¨ with Samuel L Jackson and especially bears a notable resemblance to ¨Dangerous minds¨ with Michelle Pfeiffer. The film is quite decent, although the main problem is the simplistic and already very well-known ideas that are presented. Although Menudas piezas is seen as a comedy, it manages to perfectly balance the humorous aspect with the more heartfelt side of the story, making the script one of the most endearing of that year. One aspect of the story revolves around the father-daughter relationship of the characters of Alexandra (Buscado a Coque) and Francesc (Merlí), and that makes the mutual learning that the students and the teacher experience much more transcendental. The star Alexandra Jiménez gives a good performance as Candela, who after a traumatic divorce, loses her job at an elite school, so she has to return to the neighborhood she left and ask her relatives for help. Added to this is a good plethora of supporting actors, played by a good cast, such as María Adanez (Aquí no hay quien viva), Luis Callejo (Tarde para la ira), Francesc Orella, Alain Hernández, José Manuel Poga, Miguel Rellán, among others.
The photography by cameraman Andreu Ortoll is both luxurious and colorful, having been filmed in Zaragoza. Atmospheric and lively soundtrack by composer Juanjo Javierre, adding some catchy and popular songs, such as: Hoy puede ser un gran día performed by Joan Manuel Serrat, ZGZ performed by Amaral, Jaque Mate performed by Afrojuice 195, Rubia Platino by Samantha Hudson, Harakiri performed by Luna Ki, Trumpet Tune in C Major composed by Henry Purcell, Uno performed by Ben Vart, Ten Cuidado performed by Hoke & Band, Doraimon performed by Chill Mafia. Being skillfully directed by Nacho G Velilla, and turned out to be a huge success at the Spanish box office. This director was born in Zaragoza, Aragon, where he usually shoots his films. He is a good craftsman, producer and writer, expert in comedies and especially known for ¨Villaviciosa De Al Lado¨, ¨No Manches Frida¨, ¨No Lo Llames Amor... Llámalo X¨, ¨Perdiendo El Norte¨, as well as his successful television series, such as: ¨Aida¨ with Carmen Machi, ¨Siete Vidas¨, ¨Fenómenos¨, ¨Buscando El Norte¨, ¨Por los pelos, una historia de autoestima¨, and his big hit: ¨Que se mueran los feos¨ with Javier Cámara. Rating: Good, 6.5/10. The feature film will appeal to Spanish comedy enthusiasts and 'feel good movies' lovers .
