Part noir, part tango homage
and part feminist tract, "Flower of Seduction" is
a worthy project that nonetheless fails to blossom into satisfying
drama. Always teetering on the brink of cliche, this unlikely
tale about an Argentinean psychoanalyst who accidentally kills
a cop has a dramatic premise that might have worked in surer
hands, but a verbose voiceover, cheapo visuals and an underworked
script give it little chance. Commercial prospects look slight.
Psychoanalyst Malena (Sandra Bullock lookalike Maria Marull)
philosophizes in V.O. about what it means to be a woman before
accidentally killing a guy with a crowbar for attacking a
transvestite hooker (Veronica Bonter). Together they dispose
of the body. She discovers that the victim was a high-ranking
cop, and for obscure reasons befriends the cop's wife Adriana
(Dalia Elnecave), who's unconcerned about her violent husband's
death. Script fails to exploit the tension in this, instead
devoting time to dialogues about the failings of men. The
final scene is criminal in its contrivance. The always-watchable
Eduardo Blanco just about redeems some sections, but looks
awkward. Unusually, the pic comes prefaced by an onscreen
denunciation of Spain's film financing system.
Camera (color), Federico Juarez; editor, Jerry Zottola; music,
Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Chavela Vargas, Joaquin Sabina, Gustavo
Garcia Mendy. Reviewed at Malaga Spanish Film Festival (competing),
April 9, 2007. Running time: 93 MIN.
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