SYNOPSICS
Palabras encadenadas (2003) is a Spanish movie. Laura Mañá has directed this movie. Darío Grandinetti,Goya Toledo,Fernando Guillén,Eric Bonicatto are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2003. Palabras encadenadas (2003) is considered one of the best Crime,Drama,Thriller movie in India and around the world.
Locked in a dark basement, Laura, a psychiatrist in her early thirties, contemplates in horror a video where a man confesses to be a serial killer. His name is Ramón, an apparently normal man in his forties, who seems to be quite harmless. Gagged and bound to a chair, Laura realizes that it's the same person who kidnapped her and who is now pacing in the shadows. Ramón continues to speak as he turns off the television. He walks over to her, takes off the gag and challenges Laura to play the "Word Game". If she wins, she gets to go free, but if she loses, he'll poke out her eye. Laura is terrified, but reluctantly accepts. The game begins. Laura makes a mistake. Ramón menacingly moves towards her. Laura's screams are useless.
Palabras encadenadas (2003) Trailers
Palabras encadenadas (2003) Reviews
wow....smart
If you get a chance make sure to pick up this small gem from a Spanish actress turned director Laura Mana. This movie is rather obscure and not that well known over here in America as some other titles made in Spain so it might take some time and luck to find it. But once you do, get ready for one of the best thrillers of the last couple of years. This is an example of great film making, a flick made with a low budget and only small number of actors. But oh boy, some fine ones. That especially goes to Dario Grandinetti in a role of a serial killer suspect. The only thing he admits of doing is an abduction of his ex-wife, as revenge of her lies in their divorce case...Is there any more to it? The game of cat and mouse has begun. Not to spoil the fun and give away too much all I'll say is : don't point your finger until the very end. In difference to the majority of newer US thrillers the script is superb without any plot holes and the story is sharp and witty. Mana treats the audience as people who know how to think, rather than serving every single little detail on a plate. Everything is there, you just have to find it. Original, intelligent, twisted and somber, even funny at moments - this is a film that has it all and I can only hope it will not get a Hollywood remake, Palabras Encadenas is perfect as it is. Believe me in that :)
Amazing Spanish thriller!
One of the best thrillers I have ever seen. This film keeps you captivated until the very last frame. Darío Grandinetti is truly chilling as Ramón. Goya Toledo as Laura is superb as well. Portrayals of the mind of a killer simply don't get better than this. This film avoids every Hollywood cliché you could imagine. Everything that happens in this film is cohesive. Nothing outrageous is added just for thrills. This is such a smart film. Truly great writing and directing on display here. This is another amazing example of how superior foreign made thrillers are compared to American thrillers. Don't miss this if you ever get the chance to see this Spanish gem. Beautifully done!
Incredible Thriller!
Truly magnificent effort by all involved. I haven't seen a psychological thriller this good since the Silence of the Lambs. Dario Grandinetti's chilling portrayal of a seemingly psychotic serial killer is engrossing, evocative, amusing at times and too surreal it becomes terrifying. A flawless performance, his on-screen presence captured your attention refusing to let go, not even for a moment. His performance is equalled by Goya Toledo, whose stunning portrayal of Dario's wife, his both smart, sexy and strong. The writing and direction were also top-notch; developing the multi-dimensional characters full of depth, excellent cinematography, playing off the rival husband and wife against each other, etc. There seriously was not one fault with this film. A Must see!!! 10/10
Revenge, lies and videotapes
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.
A brain-twister of a film; worth sticking with
The previous reviewer pretty much said what I wanted to say: "Killing Words" is a difficult film to categorize, but if you have to place it under one genre, it's probably what they call a "mind-f**k". Twist upon twist upon twist - that's how this film proceeds. It constantly plays with your perceptions; just when you thing you've figured it all out, it proves you wrong. There are only four characters, and they are all effectively performed (and yes: Goya Toledo IS a sensual woman). The film is also stylishly directed and photographed. One minor point: the word game that Grandinetti and Toledo frequently play won't mean much to non-Spanish-speaking audiences. But Spanish is such a pleasant language to listen to anyway that this doesn't matter much. (**1/2)