Bad Education Movie Review 2004

Complicated film noir begins in 1980 Madrid where young movie director Enrique (Martinez) is seeking inspiration. It comes to him, literally, when old school friend Ignacio (Garcia Bernal) turns up and hands Enrique a story he's written about the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of the principal of their Catholic boys' school. But something is wrong--and it's not just the fact that the wannabe actor returns demanding to play the part of transsexual prostitute Zahara (Garcia Bernal again--making quite a pretty woman) in the film, which plays out in Enrique's mind so you're watching two films at once. And if that's not confusing enough, the film has flashbacks to the boys' schooldays and a subsequent meeting in 1977. Somehow Almodovar makes it work. Spanish with subtitles.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Running time 104 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Psycho-Thriller, Spain, Gays, Nuns & Priests, Contemporary Noir, Period Piece: 1960s, Period Piece: 1970s, Period Piece: 1980s, Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse, Religion

Screenplay

Pedro Almodovar

Cast

Fele Martinez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Lluis Homar, Javier Camara, Petra Martinez, Nacho Perez, Raul Garcia Forneiro, Juan Fernandez, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Lluis Homar, Alberto Ferreiro, Francisco Boira

Cinematography

Jose Luis Alcaine

Director

Pedro Almodovar

Music

Alberto Iglesias

Other

Miguel Rejas, Jose Salcedo, Antxon Gomez

Producer

Augustin Almodovar, El Deseo, Sony Pictures Classics