Km. 0

This film is a delight and somewhat of a surprise for its frank treatment of all kinds of sexual relationships. Each character has his or her unique adventure seeking companionship,love, or excitement during one steamy afternoon and evening in Madrid, the unifying element being the meetings at the kilometer zero marker in one of the city's plazas, from which distances to other locations in Spain are measured. There are various mishaps ranging from mistaken identities to a minor auto accident. Everything has a delightfully light touch, and this viewer empathized easily with all the characters in their amorous adventures, ranging from the neglected middle-aged wife who hires a gigolo to the young backpacker who wants to help a prostitute gain more self-confidence. The use of a wallet photograph to establish a crucial identity reminds one of Restoration comedies in which a portrait in a locket is so important to the plot. In so many ways Km.0 is very traditional and in other ways, as in its frank depiction of a variety of sexual relationships, very modern. My one criticism of the film is the relegation of Tristan Ulloa to a role in which the talents he displayed in Sex and Lucia are not utilized.