Chill Out! (Spanish: Descongélate!) is a 2003 Spanish comedy film written and directed by Félix Sabroso and Dunia Ayaso which stars Pepón Nieto, Candela Peña, Loles León, and Rubén Ochandiano.
| Chill Out! | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | Descongélate! |
| Directed by | Félix Sabroso Dunia Ayaso |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Kiko de la Rica |
| Edited by | José Salcedo |
| Music by | Mariano Marín |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Warner Sogefilms |
Release dates |
|
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
editSet in a multicultural neighborhood of Madrid, the plot follows struggling bit-part actor and impersonator Justo Santos, who is offered a lead role by film director Aitor, with the latter promptly dying from drug overdose, seemingly thwarting Justo and Justo's family (brother Berto, wife Iris, and mother Katy) yearnings to solve their dire economic hardships.[1][2][3]
Cast
edit- Pepón Nieto as Justo Santos[4]
- Candela Peña as Iris[4]
- Loles León as Katy[1]
- Rubén Ochandiano as Berto[1]
- Pilar Castro as Anita[1]
- Óscar Jaenada as Aitor[3]
- José Ángel Egido[5]
- Roberta Marrero as Nona[4]
- Carmen Machi[5]
Production
editThe film is an El Deseo, Mediapro, and Filmanova production, with the participation of Telemadrid, Canal+, and Antena 3.[1]
Release
editThe film screened at the 15th L'Alfàs del Pi Film Festival in July 2003.[6] Distributed by Warner Sogefilms,[1] it was released theatrically in Spain on 22 August 2003.[2] It opened to a so-so €222,000 opening weekend gross at the domestic box office, but good word-of-mouth took it to €1.1 million after four weeks.[3]
Reception
editJonathan Holland of Variety considered that the helmers' disposable work in earlier films "settles down into something like maturity without losing its contempo edge, and first-rate performances discover unsuspected depths in the derivative, over-the-top plotline about people frantically trying to improve their lot".[1]
Jennifer Green of ScreenDaily deemed to film to be a "a sharp yet ultimately gentle comedy".[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Holland, Jonathan (23 September 2003). "Chill Out!". Variety.
- ^ a b "Descongélate". Fotogramas. 29 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d Green, Jennifer (19 September 2003). "Chill Out (Descongelate)". ScreenDaily.
- ^ a b c Ayala, Miguel (3 September 2023). "20 años de un rodaje "feliz"". La Provincia. Prensa Ibérica.
- ^ a b Silvestre, Juan (31 August 2018). "'El Ángel' y otras 19 películas producidas por El Deseo". Fotogramas.
- ^ "El vallisoletano Iván Sáinz, mejor director de cortos en L'Alfàs". El País. 13 July 2003.