Seventeen

Full disclosure: I'm a sucker for movies about dogs. But I'm also, I like to think, a level-headed dog-lover, so I tend to be critical of movies that turn them into soppy love-sponges. The premise of this movie -- a troubled teen (possibly autistic?) is brought out of his shell of morose neediness by caring for an equally anti-social dog -- could, in the wrong hands, have yielded mainly schmaltz. Instead it has produced a wry, unsentimental, beautifully acted bromance -- well, I don't like that term, because it suggests Owen Wilson and Adam Sandler getting wasted together, but it's more apposite than usual, since it is mainly about two emotionally reticent brothers negotiating a fraught relationship -- the dog, in fact, is secondary, a kind of McGuffen to the actual substance of the movie. Biel Montero is irresistibly impossible as the ever-so-tough but emotionally fragile younger brother, and Nacho Sanchez counters perfectly as the exasperated, long-suffering but devoted elder brother. I particularly enjoyed his attempts to teach his brother what irony is -- a tricky concept, especially for a seventeen-year old with issues. There is also a hilarious performance from a prize cow. A gem of a movie. I watched it a second time to make sure that it was as good as I'd thought the first time. It was.

One of the best international movies I have watched, simple and feel good movie. We need more like this!

I liked this movie a lot but the title should have been Oveja "Sheep" instead of Seventeen. I recommend it to everyone specially animal lovers and mostly for the black sheep of the family. Low budget movie with lots of heart and a message of Hope.

A superb film. About coming of age, brotherhood, about family , about the angry of a special age. And about something more important. The cinematography , the acting are the fair traits of a touching story about precise definition of life . The basic virtue - great job of Biel Montoro. So, just superb.

I was surprised by this movie. The acting is convincing and the history is very authentic. If you want to see a movie about filings in family, this movie is for you.

Good Spanish cinema. I recommend it.