Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed
Original title: Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.7K
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In Spain in 1966, an English teacher picks up two hitchhikers on his quest to meet John Lennon.In Spain in 1966, an English teacher picks up two hitchhikers on his quest to meet John Lennon.In Spain in 1966, an English teacher picks up two hitchhikers on his quest to meet John Lennon.
- Awards
- 19 wins & 18 nominations
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOfficial submission of Spain to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 87th Academy Awards in 2015.
- GoofsAt the end of the movie, it is stated that, after the events depicted in the film, all Beatles LPs included printed lyrics. This is not true: The LPs that featured lyrics were Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour (Capitol LP and Parlophone EP), and The Beatles (AKA The White Album). Yellow Submarine, Abbey Road and Let It Be didn't include them.
Although Yellow Submarine was not a "true" Beatles LP (featuring just one side of Beatles' music, 2 songs already released and the other unreleased 4 recorded two years ago, we can say then the only two LPs that didn't feature the lyrics are Abbey Road and Let It Be.
Some post-breakup releases included printed lyrics: 1973: 1962-1966 (Red Album), 1967-1970 (Blue Album), 1977: Love Songs.
- Crazy creditsThere is a scene after the end credits which is a combination of a film scene and film title. Schoolteacher Antonio enters his classroom and sits behind his desk in his chair. On the chalkboard, he has written the Spanish title of the film.
- ConnectionsFeatures El padre Manolo (1967)
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Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Featured review
After fifty years, it is still difficult to assess the full effect the Beatles have had on our culture. Even with the emergence of truth-tellers such as Bob Dylan in the early 60s, the full flowering of independent thinkers and irreverent behavior was not fully realized until the Beatles arrived to help make it a permanent transformation. While the impact of the Beatles was greatest in the U.S. and Britain, the sense of being a part of a new community was felt even in totalitarian regimes where the hippie look and the Beatle-style longhair among teens became a reason for a resurgence of hope even when accompanied by establishment panic.
The subject is explored with confidence in writer/director David Trueba's (Soldiers of Salamina) Living is Easy with Eyes Closed, winner of six Goya Awards, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars. Inspired by a real incident, the title of the comedy/drama mirrors the first line of the Beatles song Strawberry Fields Forever whose lyrics signal attention to the growing use of psychedelics. Set in Spain in 1966 during the last years of the oppressive Franco regime, Antonio, played by veteran actor Javier Cámera (I'm So Excited), is a single and somewhat lonely English teacher who is a devoted Beatles fan and uses their lyrics as a teaching tool.
When he hears that the famous Beatle John Lennon is filming Richard Lester's How I Won the War in the south of Spain, he decides to take some time off and drive down to Almeria with the hopes of meeting John and asking him to include his song lyrics in future albums. Along the way, Antonio picks up two young hitchhikers, both on the run from unpleasant situations at home, Belén (Natalia de Molina) a three-month pregnant 20-year-old leaving the nunnery where she was sent by her mother, and Juanjo (Francesc Colomer, Barcelona Summer Night), a 16-year-old boy (oddly a Rolling Stones fan) who has run away from his abusive father after an argument over his Beatles-style haircut.
Although there is some initial uneasiness, Antonio's friendly, talkative nature allows them to relax and feel comfortable. Once in Almeria, the trio bond in a local farmhouse and the more experienced Belén has much to teach her new young friend. Though the film abounds with warmth and humor, especially when Antonio attempts to fulfill his dream of meeting John, there are some dark moments as well. A local bully, who may or may not be a stand-in for the Franco regime, messes up Juanjo's thick mop of hair and worse but the bully's strawberry fields will not last forever.
Beautifully photographed by Daniel Vilar (The Artist and the Model) and buoyed by authentic performances from the entire cast, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed touches deep human emotions. Though the coming of age theme is fairly common in world cinema, rarely has it been done with such tenderness and intelligence, and its message of standing up to fear even though you may look foolish in the process is an important one. When Antonio tells his young friends that, "you can't live in fear. Too many people in Spain live in fear," it's a comment with multiple undertones. Living may be easier with your eyes closed, but it is much more satisfying when they are open.
The subject is explored with confidence in writer/director David Trueba's (Soldiers of Salamina) Living is Easy with Eyes Closed, winner of six Goya Awards, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars. Inspired by a real incident, the title of the comedy/drama mirrors the first line of the Beatles song Strawberry Fields Forever whose lyrics signal attention to the growing use of psychedelics. Set in Spain in 1966 during the last years of the oppressive Franco regime, Antonio, played by veteran actor Javier Cámera (I'm So Excited), is a single and somewhat lonely English teacher who is a devoted Beatles fan and uses their lyrics as a teaching tool.
When he hears that the famous Beatle John Lennon is filming Richard Lester's How I Won the War in the south of Spain, he decides to take some time off and drive down to Almeria with the hopes of meeting John and asking him to include his song lyrics in future albums. Along the way, Antonio picks up two young hitchhikers, both on the run from unpleasant situations at home, Belén (Natalia de Molina) a three-month pregnant 20-year-old leaving the nunnery where she was sent by her mother, and Juanjo (Francesc Colomer, Barcelona Summer Night), a 16-year-old boy (oddly a Rolling Stones fan) who has run away from his abusive father after an argument over his Beatles-style haircut.
Although there is some initial uneasiness, Antonio's friendly, talkative nature allows them to relax and feel comfortable. Once in Almeria, the trio bond in a local farmhouse and the more experienced Belén has much to teach her new young friend. Though the film abounds with warmth and humor, especially when Antonio attempts to fulfill his dream of meeting John, there are some dark moments as well. A local bully, who may or may not be a stand-in for the Franco regime, messes up Juanjo's thick mop of hair and worse but the bully's strawberry fields will not last forever.
Beautifully photographed by Daniel Vilar (The Artist and the Model) and buoyed by authentic performances from the entire cast, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed touches deep human emotions. Though the coming of age theme is fairly common in world cinema, rarely has it been done with such tenderness and intelligence, and its message of standing up to fear even though you may look foolish in the process is an important one. When Antonio tells his young friends that, "you can't live in fear. Too many people in Spain live in fear," it's a comment with multiple undertones. Living may be easier with your eyes closed, but it is much more satisfying when they are open.
- howard.schumann
- Mar 28, 2015
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $11,600
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,600
- Jun 29, 2014
- Gross worldwide
- $3,075,169
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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By what name was Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013) officially released in Canada in English?
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