Ramon, the aesthetics professor one meets at the beginning of the story, is a strange man. His apartment is a mess, yet his immaculate basement is so clean that it seems incredible he is preparing to commit a heinous crime and disturb anything that is so orderly and neat. Ramon, who is first seen speaking in a prerecorded video cassette, is finally seen wearing the same shirt as in the tape. His former wife, Laura, a psychiatrist, is tied and gagged.
Ramon, who has confessed as to being a serial killer, having killed nineteen people to date, wants to torture Laura for whatever pain he feels she caused to him after they divorced. He proposes a game where he would say a word and she must answer him using the last syllable of the word in a new word. If she loses, he'll pop out one of her eyes. When that happens, Laura demands a rematch. Ramon tells her if she loses now, he'll pop out both eyes.
After Ramon and Laura have played their game, he is shown at the college where he is teaching his philosophy class. Two police inspectors come to interrogate him about Laura's disappearance. At first Ramon is cool and collected. He doesn't get ruffled as questions about his actions are thrown at him.
In a final sequence Laura, who by now has become emboldened because she figures he has gotten the best of him by using psychology, questions him about the murders he had confessed. It's clear he has not been telling her the truth, but what emerges is the fact Ramon's frame of mind when Laura asks him about his mother and his liaison with a male student.
"Palabras encadenadas" is a psychological thriller based on a theatrical play by Jordi Galceran and adapted by its director, Laura Mana, whose work in this film shows a sure hand and a noted improvement on some of her previous work. Although it feels like a deeply felt staged play, there are moments of great intensity in the cat and mouse play Ramon plays with Laura.
The best thing in this film is Dario Grandinetti. He is in total command and he lets the viewer know from the start. This actor gets better and better all the time. He gives an intense performance that is hard to imagine any other actor playing this part. Goya Toledo, is seen as Laura. She also has wonderful opportunities where to shine. Fernando Guillen and Eric Bancatto, appear as the police inspectors investigating the disappearance and possible murder of Laura.
This is a highly polished film from Laura Mana.
Ramon, who has confessed as to being a serial killer, having killed nineteen people to date, wants to torture Laura for whatever pain he feels she caused to him after they divorced. He proposes a game where he would say a word and she must answer him using the last syllable of the word in a new word. If she loses, he'll pop out one of her eyes. When that happens, Laura demands a rematch. Ramon tells her if she loses now, he'll pop out both eyes.
After Ramon and Laura have played their game, he is shown at the college where he is teaching his philosophy class. Two police inspectors come to interrogate him about Laura's disappearance. At first Ramon is cool and collected. He doesn't get ruffled as questions about his actions are thrown at him.
In a final sequence Laura, who by now has become emboldened because she figures he has gotten the best of him by using psychology, questions him about the murders he had confessed. It's clear he has not been telling her the truth, but what emerges is the fact Ramon's frame of mind when Laura asks him about his mother and his liaison with a male student.
"Palabras encadenadas" is a psychological thriller based on a theatrical play by Jordi Galceran and adapted by its director, Laura Mana, whose work in this film shows a sure hand and a noted improvement on some of her previous work. Although it feels like a deeply felt staged play, there are moments of great intensity in the cat and mouse play Ramon plays with Laura.
The best thing in this film is Dario Grandinetti. He is in total command and he lets the viewer know from the start. This actor gets better and better all the time. He gives an intense performance that is hard to imagine any other actor playing this part. Goya Toledo, is seen as Laura. She also has wonderful opportunities where to shine. Fernando Guillen and Eric Bancatto, appear as the police inspectors investigating the disappearance and possible murder of Laura.
This is a highly polished film from Laura Mana.