Enjoyable coming-of-age drama/comedy with fine actors , adequate cinematography , catching score and professional direction . This humorous as well as dramatic movie charts the life of a 14 year old , a problematic teenager called Tristan (Fernando Ramallo) . His daddy (Jordi Bosch) is living by means of small sales and his mommy (Vicky Peña) is a good-tempered housewife . Tristán is a dreamer who attempts his dreams -about Paris , Voltaire and French life- come true . At the beginning of the movie he has already decided to dedicate his life to writing and while his parents are away on holiday , in Paris , he decides to carry out a crucial action in his life . Tristán wishes losing his virginity and in pursuing this objective he will face a lot of problems . Things don't quite go to plan when he receives a phone call and to be aware an extreme distress . Soon after , he remains solitary , with only company of his grandfather (Luis Cuenca) . Both of whom trying to make a living from what might be called as simple subsistence . Meanwhile , he befriends an understanding teacher , Isabelle , (Isabel Ordaz) of his French school called ¨Moliere¨ ; Isabelle is a type of woman who shows great love for Tristán . Subsequently , Tristán will try to make love with his cousin Lucia (Lucia Jimenez) .
Fun Dramedy (comedy/drama) with touches of profanity and full of entertainment , humor , dramatic happenings and sheer amusement . Amusing Spanish comedy in which two good actors , a veteran Luis Cuenca as grandfather and a fourteen-year-old teen Tristán/Fernando Ramallo become involved into improbable situations . As Tristán/Fernando Ramallo at an essential moment the phone rings to tell him his parents have been killed in a car crash , from then he is on his own and in control of his destiny , or at least he thinks so , but things things go wrong . In this coming-of-age story the troublemaker as well as loser Tristán begins to understand what his life is . This attractive comedy contains emotion , humor , drama , twisted incidents , and amusement . This is a marvelous ode to adolescence plenty of innocence , friendship , curiosity , comradeship and family love . Director David Trueba shows these important and universal values through adolescents's minds . ¨The good life¨ is influenced by ¨400 blows¨ by Truffaut , the prestigious novel ¨El Guardian Del Centeno¨ or ¨The catcher on the rye¨ and the ¨Coming-of-age¨ stories . ¨La Buena Vida¨ is a song and an allegory to teens , where curiosity and innocence are the most characteristic attributes having adolescents as well as adults well represented . We do see the world we know each and every one of us , but from his innocent look , with much more easygoing . It is a notorious picture of great educational content , including an enjoyable , attractive message and amusing and fun scenes . Spanish cinema has a great ability in dealing with films about teenagers as well as adults , with interesting and thought-provoking messages that are a clear example of an allegory of notorious values such as nostalgic feeling , friendship , compassion , collaboration and love . The film moves in fits and starts most of which would be desirable , with more traps the viewer resists any kind, and some moments of enjoyment and others quite a few embarrassing . The flick relies heavily on the continued relationship between grandfather and grandson , as well as the extreme wishes of Tristán to lose virginity , but it doesn't make boring but entertaining . This real wish of the protagonist is so repetitive and the most part results to be rich in absurdities and implausibilities . Nice acting by Fernando Ramallo in his film debut as an unlucky teen who has to deal with some major issues in his life , being well accompanied by an attractive Lucia Jimenez . Agreeable support cast gives good acting as the important secondaries : Luis Cuenca as grandfather , Isabel Otero , Joel Joan , Vicky Peña , Jordi Bosch , Fernando Vivanco and the recently deceased Alicia Hermida.
The picture contains a lively and evocative musical score by Antoine Duhamel , including some wonderful French songs . And colorful and glimmer cinematography by William Lubtchansky . The motion picture was compellingly directed by David Trueba, getting a considerable hit smash . It won several Goya Awards and nominations 1997 : Won Goya Best Supporting Actor to Luis Cuenca , Nominated Goya Best New Actress to Lucía Jiménez , Best New Director to David Trueba , Best Original Screenplay to David Trueba ; Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 1997 Won Special Prize of the Jury to David Trueba , Crystal Globe to David Trueba ; It Won Sant Jordi 1997 Best Spanish Actor to Luis Cuenca and it Won Turia Award Best First Work to David Trueba . David Trueba was born (1969) in Madrid, location in which he often shoots his films . Married to Ariadna Gil , though nowadays separated and he is younger brother of Fernando Trueba and brother-in-law of Cristina Huete who along with Andres Vicente Gomez produced him a lot of films . David is a nice writer , such as : ¨The girl of your eyes¨ and ¨Perdita Durango¨ (1997). Known for comedies such as ¨The good life¨ , ¨Masterpiece¨ , ¨Madrid 1987¨ , ¨Welcome home¨ and , of course , his greatest hit : "Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed" in which Goyas landed in the laps of director David Trueba , as he film won best picture, director, screenplay, actor, new actor, and soundtrack . Rating ¨The good life¨ : Better than average , 6.5/10 . Well worth watching .
