Click to read the article
Law of Desire (1987)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:11
Fresh:11
Rotten:0
Average Rating:7.5/10
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Synopsis: This bold tale of passion's dire consequences is one of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's most smoldering films. Antonio Banderas stars as Antonio Benítez, an obsessive fan of writer-director... This bold tale of passion's dire consequences is one of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's most smoldering films. Antonio Banderas stars as Antonio Benítez, an obsessive fan of writer-director Pablo Quintero (Eusebio Poncela), a cocaine-snorting homosexual hedonist whose last boyfriend, Juan (Miguel Molina), has just moved out. Antonio and Pablo have a few passionate nights, but Antonio's obsessive love soon proves hard for the noncommittal Pablo to escape from. Meanwhile, Pablo's transsexual sister, Tina (Carmen Maura), has problems of her own, including a closet brimming with dark sexual skeletons and Ada (Manuela Velasco), her unofficially adopted daughter. Pablo writes a play for Tina to star in, but when Antonio stalks and murders Juan in a fit of jealousy, the police end up suspecting the character Tina performs in the play. Pablo winds up with amnesia after a car accident, and the troubles just get weirder from there. For American audiences unfamiliar with Almodóvar's style, this film may prove a shocking experience, but his fans know that beneath their transgressive exteriors, his films throb with a palpable love of humanity, life, beauty, and art. This is a fine example of that art, with great music and memorable performances all around. [More]
Starring: Carmen Maura, Eusebio Poncela, Antonio Banderas
Starring: Carmen Maura, Eusebio Poncela, Antonio Banderas
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Reviews for Law of Desire
a pivotal and unmissable piece of the Almodóvar puzzle, a romp that is Pedro at his young and kinky best.
provocative psychological study about the potential devastating cost of wanton love
Almodóvar’s affection for his characters ... makes his engagingly loopy narrative more than a simple Telemundo-on-acid joke.
What it lacks in depth, 'Law of Desire' makes up in surface energy, with a lively cast, a turbulent plot and a textbook-worthy collection of case histories.
A bold, daring work that is as shocking and impressive today as it was nearly 20 years ago when it was first released.
[A] great film from Spanish director Pedro Almódovar’s early career...
The film bristles with energy and bright interludes before the lugubrious plot takes over...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
| 53% 53% | David & Layla |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Law of Desire at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

