In This Tricky Life (2001) User Reviews

Collective Memory

[nppasion · 6/10 · 4 May 2013]

This story talks about the social issue, it's kinda the Collective Memory in Spain and some relative countries. The scene in Barcelona is gloomy, but the main characters are live with hope, the positive attitude is part of Latin people own.

this film doesn't deep narrate why Elisa leave her mum(it could means she is not so fancy 'family' but more interested in being with man), and seems she doesn't really care about her sons, even tho she always call back to talk with them, but when they first separated, Elisa and her sons didn't have strong emotion.

This film seems wanna give audience a happy and hopefully ending, so that arrange the police man to make this film more romance, and Elisa seems accept love easily, she probably wants love more than family, all the relation is not so touchable, so I give 6 out of 10.

Great movie

[MariaL · 7/10 · 12 February 2002]

Great movie from a country with little cinematic history. Interesting story, very well told. The actors are quite believable and grab your attention from start to finish. Highly recommendable viewing, both for Uruguayans and for other Latin Americans or anyone who enjoys good movies.

More "Pretty Woman" than "Pixote".

[ArrivederciBaby · 6/10 · 28 July 2002]

Despite an excellent lead performance by Mariana Santángelo, the story told in this film deserved a more serious approach than it's given here. Such artificial cliches as the "doomed best friend" and the "handsome, understanding cop" seem out of place amid the elements of what should be an inherently dark and dramatic story.

Excellent Film About A Little Known Crime Syndicate

[gradyharp · 28 November 2004]

EN LA PUTA VIDA is a very well made, polished, intelligent film from Uruguay that begins as what seems to be a comedy and develops into a provocative drama - much the way events in life mimic such changes. Director and co-writer Beatriz Flores Silva knows her way around tough subject matter and is able to bring out sterling performances by a very fine cast.

Elisa (the very beautiful and talented Marianna Santangelo) is a hairdresser with two children, born of different fathers, who lives with her mother while trying to convince her latest paramour Garcia (Augusto Mazzarelli) to leave his wife and marry her. She dreams of having her own Salon in the rich district of Montevideo and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. When her life falls apart and she is desperate to make enough money to open her Salon, she is invited into the world of fast money (prostitution) by her best friend Lulu (Andrea Fantoni), and enters the tutelage of Madame Dona Jacqueline (a terrific cameo by Graciela Esuder!). In her new role Elisa encounters the handsome but wily Placido (played by Silvestre) who invites her to bed and to Barcelona, Spain with promises that she will make so much money that she not only will be able to send money back to her children, but also have more than enough to open her Salon in the fanciest part of her native Montevideo. Elisa and Lulu join other prostitutes in this promise of wealth and fly to Barcelona - and unexpected white slavery. There she works her corner but is in the presence of a gang of Brazilian transvestites controlled by a mob. She is arrested by a policeman- with-heart Marcelo (the very handsome and gifted actor Jose 'aka Josep' Linuesa) and when her 'man' Placido reveals himself for what he is (a greedy, heartless pimp), Elisa works with Marcelo to uncover the mob violence of the streets to gain a return to her beloved Montevideo. How the story ends is left to the pleasure of the viewer.

Apparently this story is based on some degree of fact: in the 1980s to the present many Latin American women have been promised wealth in joining the prostitution business in Spain only to become victims of white slavery. Director Silva is able to make this rather terrifying reality into a story that, though sensual, is never in bad taste: the story is more important that portraying the sex-for-sale scenes. Mariana Santangelo is a very fine actress and this film is just the right vehicle to put her in the ranks of international stardom. The photography in both Uruguay and Spain is beautiful, the musical score is exceedingly well written and evocative, and the end result is a film that opens the door for Uruguayan films to be taken seriously. Highly recommended.

The Sanctification of a Clumsy Sex Worker

[EdgarST · 4/10 · 13 August 2011]

I had not seen a film as moronic as this in a long time. It plays with prostitution as if it were a "to be or not to be a virgin" comedy starring Doris Day, but even in her vehicles Doris was not as dumb as the main character in this motion picture. Elisa is a vulgar and amoral young woman, a cruel daughter and a terrible mother to two little boys, who leaves the paternal home, breaks up with her boss and lover, quits her job and enters the prostitution world as first choice, to raise money for opening a beauty salon with Lulú, her empty headed partner who introduces her to Madame Jacqueline's brothel. She ends up in Barcelona (Spanish locations, actors or characters are prerequisites in most co-productions done with Spain) with a mafioso lover and Lulú, gets involved in quarrels with Brazilian transvestites that lead to murder, and dealings with policemen. Not even then the film shows a bit of concern for the real facts it is based on, but rather goes on accumulating clichés, that turn Elisa into "Our Lady of the Whores". Bad acting by both lead male actors (Argentinean Silvestre, and Catalan Josep Linuesa) does not help this mess, ironically directed by a woman. Raise a few points if you will for fine technical aspects that can be bought by moneys from so many co-producers (Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, Cuba and Belgium).

Comedic drama addressing a serious issue

[A Verdade · 8/10 · 13 November 2001]

This Uruguayan film, one of the most popular films shown at the recent São Paulo Film Festival after breaking box office records at home, is a funny and intelligent film.

It addresses an important ongoing, unresolved pan-Latin American issue which, inexplicably, has not been depicted as it deserves to be, in either Spanish or Latin America cinema. That is, up to now.

Since the 1980s, unemployed, impoverished Latin American women have been lured to Spain, somewhat knowingly or unknowingly, to support their families at home through prostitution. However, once in Spain, these women´s passports and freedom are taken away. They become sex slaves, often with no way out, with no pay, and no one to turn to for help.

This film, mixes comedy, drama, social commentary, tragedy, and the sense of hope, all to great effect. If it plays at a film festival near you, as it may soon, I would definitely recommend this unusual, funny, and touching film.

In the life

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 29 June 2004]

This Uruguayan film is surprisingly good. Not being acquainted with either the director, or the film, as I don't think it has been shown locally, I decided to take a look. It certainly was a welcome surprise what director Beatriz Flores Silva has accomplished.

The story centers around Elisa, a young single mother, who must make ends meet by going into the world's oldest profession. Elisa, like other young women, I'm sure, is lured into taking a big leap into the riches that Placido suggests are not to be believed doing that kind of work in Barcelona.

Elisa gets more of what she bargained for. She is beaten by Placido and the reality is that she is part of a lucrative business not to be realized by her, but her pimps and the mafia that controls it. It seems incredible that someone as intelligent as Elisa is, falls into this world where women are in danger by working the mean streets in the old quarter of the city.

The film owes a great deal to Mariana Santangelo, a young actress who is a natural. She is an excellent actress who knows the character she is portraying. Andrea Fantoni, as her best friend, Lulu, also is very effective in the film. Silvestre as Placido, the suave pimp, plays his part well. Finally, Jose Linuesa, is also good as Marcelo, who is the only one that helps Elisa escape her horrible experience in Spain.

Great Movie !

[alexcris · 10/10 · 27 July 2002]

A very well done movie about a young girl's life in Uruguay,a real life based history,with a touch of humor and freshness. The history about an ugly reality and the girl's pursuit of her dreams and happiness while trying to take care of her two sons.

a hidden gem

[berthirsch · 9/10 · 15 February 2014]

this is a well paced drama about an important subject-white sex slaves. 2 Uruguayan girls follow a pimp to Barcelona at which point they are literally kidnapped and forced into prostitution. the movie is well written , despite the subject matter there is some good humor. the characters are well developed. Mariana Santangelo portrays the lead as one of the most adorable and alluring roles an actress has portrayed on film. This is a must see. A hidden gem. The pimp, played by Silvestre, an Argentine TV actor is also excellent and pulls you in a quiet forceful manner. The chemistry between these 2 leads is easy to see.

Searching the IMD data base most of the creators in this film have not done much since then. This is unfortunate and goes to show how difficult it is to recreate the magic on film.