User Reviews

Imagine the life of Lola, a young woman in Madrid who is trying to make ends meet after the separation from her abusive husband. She has two jobs cleaning a bank and the home of Maite, a widow who finds herself also facing poverty because she finds out her husband left her almost dispossessed. Lola, who after getting an advance from Maite is mugged, has had it. When she meets the young punk girl that took her money, instead of asking for her money back, she wants advice on how to go ahead robbing the bank where she works!

Lola's best friend, Silvia, finds herself pregnant from the owner of the beauty salon where she works as a beautician. After this man tells her he is leaving Madrid, she decides she must do something. That's when Lola tells her about the caper she is preparing and she also enlist Violeta and Maite to help her carry on her plans. This quartet is a funny one, indeed. Since they are not professional criminals, they act on their instincts.

This feminist comedy, directed by Eva Lesmes, whose work has been seen mainly on television, is hilarious because the work of the four actresses in the leading roles. The men are only seen as incompetent and selfish individuals that don't deserve them.

Adriana Ozores, is a fine Lola, the mastermind of the caper. The best thing in the film though, is Maribel Verdu, who as Silvia gives a great performance as the happy-go-lucky young woman who is facing tough issues. The great Carmen Maura appears as Maite, the sobering voice of the quartet. Malena Alterio is the punk Violeta.

This funny comedy works well because the ensemble acting and a good direction by Ms. Lesmes.

¨El Palo¨is an acceptable and funny comedy with several fun and hilarious set pieces and some pursuits , action scenes , social critique on economical crisis and many other things . It deals with an enjoyable group of characters , such as : Lola's (Adriana Ozores) an unlucky mother and recently separated her police officer husband Gustavo (Jaime Pujol) , she cleans a bank every morning as well as a flat inhabited by an allegedly upper class , wealthy mistress called Maite (Carmen Maura) , who discovers she's penniless . While , unfortunate Silvia (Maribel Verdu) works as a hair-dresser , but she is pregnant, and her lover who results to be her chief (Joaquin Climent) won't leave his spouse . And Pecholata (Malena Alterio) , an orphan punk , she seems to be a poor devil who will soon be on the streets . Lola , then decides to rob a bank , convincing the others to join her : they'll use replica guns , dresses as men , take Silvia hostage , and all will be smooth and rapid . But events get worse , including the fact that they are discovered by the bank manager director (Juan Gea) .

This agreeable picture concerns a hold-up pulled off by a quartet of unfortunate women but things go awry . There are some nice jokes in the film and the cast , playing eccentric characters , make a cosy fit . It takes a simple concept , a spectacular robbing , being schemed , planned and proceeded by botcher people and in similar style to Spanish classy ¨Atraco a Las Tres¨ by Jose Maria Forque . This is a comical and sometimes disconcerting account of a bunch of middle-lower class women from the personal, social , cultural , and economic perspective , because needing all of them , urgently, a lot of money to resolve their problematic lives . This interesting film packs colorful a images , strange situations , swift frames , twists and turns ; but it also contains some touches of humor and irony . The flick interweaves fun comedy along with a social criticism about the deep Spanish crisis and a little bit of suspense and action . This film is made to entertain , and this movie , especially for a good time and a pleasant entertainment . And it results in a highly original yarn , with a fine message , which is very-well delivered . The flick contains silly incidents , fun plot twists , tongue-in-cheek , emotion , grotesque situations and above all , humor . Sitting in a strange middle ground between the completely absurd and the stylishly cool . This film moves in fits and starts most of which would be desirable and some moments of enjoyment and others quite a few ridiculous . The characters are quite odd , grotesque and geek and the film races on at incredible speed . The main cast is frankly good , as nice acting by Adriana Ozores as a single mom , broke , a hard-working woman as a janitor and maid , likable Maribel Verdu as pregnant young , Carmen Maura as a newly widow who wants to maintain appearances and give her daughter a fancy wedding and Malena Alterio as a Punkie girl living undercover in a youth center .

Colorful photography in juicy atmosphere by Gonzalo Berridi, deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameramen , he has photographed successes such as ¨El Viaje De Carol¨, ¨Amantes Circulo Polar¨ , ¨Ardilla Roja¨ , ¨Camaron¨ and ¨8 Apellidos Vascos¨. Lively and catching musical score by Manuel Villalta who has composed in ¨La Gran Vida¨ , ¨Planta 4¨, ¨Oro De Moscu¨ , ¨Nada En Nevera¨ ,¨El Forastero¨ . The motion picture was well directed by Eva Lesmes . Eva Lesmes was born in Gijón, Asturias , location where she usually shoots her films . She is a director and writer, especially for TV , known for ¨Maitena: Estados Alterados¨ (2008), ¨A las Once en Casa¨ (1998) , ¨El Comisario¨ , ¨Casa De Los Lios¨ (1997) and this , ¨El Palo¨ (2001) . Being his best picture another comedy titled : ¨Pon Un Hombre En Tu Vida¨ (1996) . ¨El Palo¨ is a film worth watching and, in turn, is really amusing and truly a hoot to watch . It is probably one of the best satisfying comedian efforts to come out of Spain in the early nineties .

The women's movement catches up with Spanish movies belatedly with this accomplished 'scope caper comedy. Compare the also female oriented "Nosotros." . Four variously oppressed females band together to do a bank job which keeps on going wrong. The separated cop husband's pistol getting switched with the toy replica is a particularly nice touch.

The usually elegant Verdu gives the impression of enjoying being transformed into a ditsy, pregnant hairdresser but each of the leads gets a great innings. The men are all caricatures.

The big screen vista shots of suburban sprawl punctuate the action nicely. The technical work is as good as anything we see and underlines the excellence of new Spanish entertainment movies.