The Plan[1] (Spanish: El plan) is a 2019 Spanish black comedy film directed by Polo Menárguez based on the play by Ignasi Vidal starring Antonio de la Torre, Raúl Arévalo, and Chema del Barco. It deals with themes such as failure, miscommunication, and toxic masculinity.[2]
| The Plan | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | El plan |
| Directed by | Polo Menárguez |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | El plan (play) by Ignasi Vidal |
| Produced by | Nacho La Casa |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Alejandro Espadero |
| Edited by | Vanessa Marimbert |
| Music by | Pablo Martín-Caminero |
Production company | Capitán Araña |
| Distributed by | Filmax |
Release dates |
|
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Plot
editIn a hot Summer morning in Usera, three buddies and unemployed security guards (Paco, Ramón, and Andrade) arrange a meeting at the house of one of them to carry out a plan for a mysterious activity, but circumstances delay their departure from the apartment.[3][4]
Cast
edit- Antonio de la Torre as Paco[5]
- Chema del Barco as Ramón[5]
- Raúl Arévalo as Andrade[5]
Production
editThe film is a Capitán Araña (Nacho La Casa) production.[6] Based on the play by Ignasi Vidal, the film sees the return of one of the play's stage actors, Chema del Barco.[7] Shooting started in February 2019 in Madrid.[6] The film was lensed by Alejandro Espadero using a Panasonic Varicam.[8]
Release
editThe Plan premiered on 22 October 2019 at the 64th Valladolid International Film Festival.[9][7] It also screened at the 16th Seville European Film Festival on 12 November 2019.[10] Distributed by Filmax,[11] it was released theatrically in Spain on 21 February 2020.
Reception
editJuan Pando of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, highlighting the performance of the lead trio as the best thing about the film.[3]
Javier Ocaña of El País deemed the film to be a "pitch-black comedy with social undertones and deep-rooted themes" and "a journey into the social and mental abyss of three ordinary men".[12]
Sergio F. Pinilla of Cinemanía rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, declaring it "hilarious, tremendous and topical".[13]
Accolades
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021
|
8th Feroz Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Film | Chema del Barco | Nominated | [14] |
| Special Award | Nominated | ||||
| 35th Goya Awards | Best New Actor | Chema del Barco | Nominated | [15] | |
| Best Sound | Mar González, Francesco Lucarelli, Nacho Royo-Villanova | Nominated | |||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cabeza, Elisabet (17 May 2019). "Spain's Filmax acquires 'The Europeans' and 'The Plan' (exclusive)". ScreenDaily.
- ^ Sardá, Juan (21 February 2020). "Arévalo y De la Torre: "El éxito y el fracaso son dos grandes impostores"". El Cultural – via El Español.
- ^ a b Pando, Juan (21 February 2020). "Crítica de 'El plan'". Fotogramas.
- ^ Cameron, Bryan (2021). "Elliptical life in (post) crisis cinema from Spain". Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies. 22 (2). Routledge: 253. doi:10.1080/14636204.2021.1922823.
- ^ a b c Cameron 2021, p. 253.
- ^ a b "De la Torre, Raúl Arévalo y Chema del Barco, juntos otra vez en "El Plan"". La Vanguardia. 18 February 2019.
- ^ a b Boquerini (24 October 2019). "'El plan': perdedores de extrarradio". El Correo. Grupo Vocento.
- ^ "Comienza el rodaje de 'El Plan', segundo largometraje de Capitán Araña tras el éxito internacional de 'Ozzy'". 18 February 2019.
- ^ "Polo Menárguez: "'El plan' es una crítica a la construcción de la masculinidad"". seminci.com. 22 October 2019.
- ^ "Justine Triet y Teona Strugar Mitevska, dos miradas al empoderamiento femenino en Sección Oficial del Festival de Cine". Europa Press. 12 November 2019.
- ^ "'El plan' – estreno en cines 21 de febrero". Audiovisual451. 21 February 2020.
- ^ Ocaña, Javier (20 February 2020). "Tres perdedores españoles". El País.
- ^ Pinilla, Sergio F. (18 February 2020). "El plan". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
- ^ "Estos son los ganadores de los Premios Feroz de 2021: la lista completa, por categorías". El Confidencial. 2 March 2021.
- ^ Rando, Paloma (7 March 2021). "Todos los ganadores de los Goya 2021: 'Las niñas' corona un palmarés tan completo como la propia gala". Vanity Fair.