The City of No Limits (2002)

The trailer might be misleading but that is not to say that 'En La Ciudad Sin Límites' is a letdown. It reminded me of a Barbara Vine novel where a family is introduced and then subtle hints display that not all is what it seems and there are secrets to be discovered. It can be described as a thriller because the viewer is kept in constant suspense about Max's mystery. Even the subplots, like Carmen and Victor's romance, adds to the characterization. Antonio Hernández is a competent director and the way he sets the premise and tells the story is compelling. There are some nice scenic shots of Paris but that seems to add more to the mystery and complexities of the story. Victor Reyes's sometimes soft and sometimes erratic score works well. It reminded me of Philip Glass's work. The cinematography works adequately. The performances are solid with Fernando Fernán Gómez and Leonardo Sbaraglia owning the film. Of the supporting cast the beautiful Ana Fernández shines while Geraldine Chaplin is convincing as the cold hearted Marie. 'En La Ciudad Sin Límites' is a product of excellent storytelling, fine acting, very good direction and money well put by Spanish and Argentinian production teams.

I really enjoyed this film. The drama of Max approaching death and losing his grasp on reality intertwined with his fear/wish that he might still be able to undo an act committed 40 years earlier was compelling and very real, at the same time providing a strong element of suspense as his son Victor slowly unravels the truth. The romantic sub-plots work nicely to enhance the theme of betrayal. My only criticism was that I didn't think the gay theme worked and felt inserted into the plot. I personally found the relationship between the two men more profound as purely a political one. I think Marie's jealousy would have been more poignant if she had felt threatened by that side of the men's friendship and not the sexual. But overall an excellent film, well worth seeing. Great soundtrack.

This film was best film in the Berlinale 2002. I have seen 4 films a day during the festival and there was no film like this. Great actors, great script, intelligent and thrilling. Everything you need for a great film was in this movie. Congratulations to Spain for their great film industry. For me the best in Europe.

An old man is dying of cancer in a hospital, but he has something to do first. He doesn't trust no one in his family (who has gathered around him in hospital) but his younger son, Victor, who just arrived from Argentina. He is the only one to notice that something's weird with his father...Hollywood-like thrillers are serving as a cover to introduce deep, human-relation movies to the public. We've seen it in Lantana for instance. The big misteries, the fantastic intrigues we've seen so many times in conventional American movies are here changed for feelings. Although the movie develops as a thriller, with its intrigues and misteries, at the end we see that there's no bigger mistery than human relationships.A very good way of wrapping a typical intimist European or Asian movie with an American-style thriller cover.