Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Jawwad Daud A comedy in essence and originally a Mexican movie titled La Gran Vida, Living it up is a fun movie starring Martin (Carmelo Gsmez). A bus driver, Martin is bored with his life. One fine day when he can't take the pressure any more, he stops the bus and runs to the edge of a bridge to commit suicide. Here he meets a mysterious character Salva (Fernando Valverde) who proposes to Martin the perfect way of ending his life — borrow 100 million dollars from the mafia for a week on fifty percent interest markup, live it up and then commit suicide after blowing the cash. In return Salva asks for 15 percent for his services.With nothing to lose, Martin accepts the offer and gets the money by offering his life as collateral. He lives lavishly, spends millions at the drop of a hat, throws parties for complete strangers; which is where he meets the lovely Lola (the ravishing Salma Hayek). Martin falls for the waitress only to realize that it's too late for him to back out of his deal. The week is up, the money is gone and he can, in no possible way, repay the outstanding amount as, now, he doesn't want to die.Although a dubbed movie, Living it up has seldom a dull moment. The lines are intelligent and director's grip turns it into a thoroughly enjoyable movie. Comes highly recommended for romantic cum thriller buffs though romance exceeds the thrills!

groggo This ridiculously contrived movie sprawls over almost two hours when it's essentially a 50-minute flick at best, and 'best' is not a good adjective to use in the company of this clunker, which bills itself as a 'comedy'. There might be about two laughs in the entire movie, and they're unintentional. It's also rated 'R' for alleged sexual content, which consists, as far as I could tell, of fleeting scenes of decidedly UNerotic strippers doing what strippers are supposed to do. Other than this questionable titillation, there is no sex in this movie at all. Take away the brief nudity of the strippers, and this is easily a PG flick acceptable for 11 years and younger (they might be the only ones who would enjoy it).To try to explain the 'plot' of this movie would be futile: there IS a plot (more or less), but it suffocates under a flurry of red herrings, laborious dialogue and truly forced contrivances. Living It Up (La Gran Vida) is so dumb that I, for one, am left with only one conclusion: it started with what seemed like a good idea, and it went downhill from there. I think a committee was brought in to work on the script, and each member of the committee had a different idea of how the 'story' (you should excuse the expression) should unfold. That's how the movie presents itself: a whacking dog's breakfast of confusion. The viewer is left in befuddled head-scratching throughout. I kept asking the screen: 'what in the name of God is going on here?'Salma Hayek is just too ultra-glamorous to be taken seriously as a smart-mouthed member of the lumpen proletariat, which we are somehow expected to believe here. She plays a waitress, but she really isn't a waitress. Carmelo Gomez is a gormless would-be suicide who becomes a jet-setting millionaire, but he really isn't a jet-setting millionaire. Tito Valverde is an agent of the Spanish Mafia who 'arranges' for Gomez to live life to the fullest, except he's really not an agent of the Spanish Mafia.You learn all these things in one of the sloppiest, most awkward and self-conscious denouements I have seen in a long time. The 'explanation' is just plain silly, but, of course, don't ya know, everyone lives happily ever after. Columbia-Tristar distributed this bomb with fanfare, pretending it was loaded with sexy stuff, explosive hijinks and ripping comedy, when all three commodities just aren't there. I felt cheated spending $3.00 (Canadian) just to rent it. Imagine how the poor saps who paid for premier seats in a theatre felt.I can't really buy Hayek in any film she makes. She just isn't believable. She never really acts: she poses, she pouts, she looks gorgeous and tells the camera: 'hey, am I gorgeous or what?'. She's sexy, but you'd never know it from this flick. Gomez and Valverde are good actors who unfortunately end up slumming here. I can only hope they felt embarrassed when they saw the finished product.This is the kind of 'European' movie that could drive me back to watching equally stupid Hollywood movies -- at least I wouldn't have to labour over subtitles.

jotix100 Imagine the dreary life of Martin, a bus driver in Madrid. His job has gotten the best of him, as well as his bored colleagues, but only Martin wants to do something to remedy the situation. When one night he climbs atop a viaduct over a busy intersection, a passerby, Salva, convinces him not to jump. After all, what would he accomplish? Instead, Salva has a different plan for Martin. Why not 'borrow' money from the local mafia. He can have millions with just the promise that he will repay at a high rate. For that, he must go into a clinic, where an old lady, lying on what appears to be her death bed, will decide whether to approve the loan, or not. At the end of the term, the mafia will "take care of him" when he can't come up with the money he owes.The new riches brings Martin to a life of luxury. He doesn't care how he spends his money. When he decides to throw a party, he goes all out. A young waitress, Lola, who is let go because of her inefficiency, catches Martin's eye. They begin a whirlwind tour of the fine places in Europe, and Madrid. Lola, it seems, has her own agenda about what to do with Martin's money."Living it Up", this Spanish comedy, has a glossy surface given by its director, Antonio Caudri. What doesn't make much sense is the screen play by Carlos Asorey and Fernando Leon Aranoa, a director, himself. We don't buy for a moment that even the criminal element would consider Martin worthy of a loan they are not to get repaid. Of course, we realize that Salva, is the key figure in the larger scheme of things, and we go along for the fun. The explanation as to why Martin was selected, makes no sense at all! And Lola's role in the whole thing is false from beginning to end.The film tried to capitalize having attracted Salma Hayek for the role of Lola. We don't recall this film being released commercially in this country, maybe in some markets, but no big distribution. Ms. Hayek's charm doesn't work miracles for her character, but she is a pleasant presence in the film. Carmelo Gomez, one of Spain's leading actors, has good moments. Best of all is Fernando Valverde who is seen as Salva.The film is mildly amusing, but it doesn't make much sense.

LoayOmran I came across La Gran vida at a friend's place, when I was asking him to suggest a movie for me. I am glad he recommended this. This is like a breath of fresh air! It is a light movie, about how desperate life can become, or... how interesting it can be. It all depends on how much money you have as the movie suggests. So Carmelo Gómez (Martin), a bus driver with not much of a life figures out that its not worth it ... Suicide is the answer. But as he attempts to commit suicide, some guy tries to make him change his decision, with a very tempting question: How about Living for one week with 100 million dollars in your hands then die after that? -- Now that is an interesting offer for sure. He will take 100 million dollars, but he must return them as 150 after one week, or else he gets killed, well he is about to commit suicide so why not delay it for a week? And so ... we join the ride, one poor man's 7 day journey with excessive wealth! Salma Hayek (Lola), looking better than ever, is very convincing in her role. Don't look for a great script with twists, look for a warm and interesting story! Avoid some draw backs from the writers and you will enjoy this. Enjoy Carmelo Gómez's acting, very good! It doesn't demand much, so don't ask for a lot! 7/10