RED SQUIRREL, THE (ARDILLA ROJA, LA)(director/writer: Julio Medem; cinematographer: Gonzalo Berridi; cast: Emma Suarez (Lisa Fuentes), Nancho Novo (Jay), Carmelo Gomez (Felix), Maria Barranco (Carmen), Elena Irureta (Begona), Chete Lera (Salvador Fuentes), Gustavo Salmeron (Luis Alfonso), Karra Elejalde (Anton), 1993 - Spain)
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A most improbable but engaging romantic mystery that holds our attention and teases our sensibilities. The first word out of Jay's (Novo) mouth is sh-t, as he stands on the boardwalk at San Sebastian, ready to commit suicide, after being jilted by his girlfriend and unable to work for the last 4-years as a rock singer, with his group called Flies. Suddenly a motorcycle crashes over the boardwalk railing onto the night's deserted beach, and Jay foregoes his immediate suicide plans to rush to the aid of the helmeted victim. To his surprise, he discovers that it's a beautiful girl and upon questioning her discovers she is suffering from amnesia and has no ID on her. As an impulse, when the ambulance arrives, he tells the driver that her name is Lisa and that he is her boyfriend, and proceeds to give her a big kiss. At the hospital, he supplies the night receptionist, Salvador Fuentes (Lera), information that he makes up about her, giving her the surname Fuentes that he takes from his nametag. Later on, he will discover that the receptionist is her brother.
Lisa sticks to her amnesia story and Jay sticks to his pursuit of her, feeling rejuvenated by her presence in his life. When he is about to be questioned in detail about her by the hospital staff, he sneaks her out of the hospital and they take off together, heading for a camping resort called "The Red Squirrel."
At the resort, they meet a meddlesome family who help them pitch a tent and invite them over for dinner. There are signs that what is happening to the two lovers is getting to be heavy, and what seems to be is not exactly what is. But what is definetly happening, is that they are making passionate love, and he is constantly inventing things he says she did before she lost her memory. But, she doesn't passively accept from him what he tells her.
When a radio message comes over the air, saying that a man named Felix (Carmelo) is looking for his mentally deranged wife who ran away, the description of her appearance is exactly like that of Lisa, even though the name given for her is Sofia Fuentes. Well, the game is up for the two lost souls, as the people in the campsite are not fooled and Felix is tipped off where to find her, and when he arrives at the resort to reclaim her, a battle begins with her new boyfriend.
The storyline is awkward, melodramatic and incredulous, and the ending is somewhat ludicrous and overplayed, but what becomes interesting is the psychological games played by the couple. They explore their identities and sexual cravings, trying to find out who they are and what love means to them, all in the face of their insecurities and death wishes and lies. The Basque director/writer has created a story with enough twists in it to keep you guessing at what will happen next, but the film left me with a bitter-sweet reaction to the romance.
REVIEWED ON 8/24/99 GRADE: C
Dennis Schwartz: " Ozus' World Movie Reviews"
http://www.sover.net/~ozus
ozus@sover.net
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