While straining credibility at times, offers some appealing scenes of quiet reflection, as well as a refreshing celebration of the ineffable allure and power of being middle-aged.
Queens (aka Reinas) (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 30
Fresh: 13
Rotten:17
Average Rating: 5.3/10
Consensus: It hints at something greater, but ultimately, Queens lacks the substance necessary to set it apart from similarly themed Spanish comedies.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for sexual content, brief nudity and language
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Theatrical Release:Aug 25, 2006 Limited
Box Office: $26,642,475
Synopsis: Director Manuel Gómez Pereira (BETWEEN YOUR LEGS) spins a fictional tale around a pivotal landmark in Spanish history with QUEENS. July 3, 2005 marked the day that gay marriage was legalized in... Director Manuel Gómez Pereira (BETWEEN YOUR LEGS) spins a fictional tale around a pivotal landmark in Spanish history with QUEENS. July 3, 2005 marked the day that gay marriage was legalized in Spain, so Pereira constructed this light comedy about the impending nuptials of three gay couples, who are planning to tie the knot on the very day the law changed. But in an interesting twist Pereira shifts the focus of his film away from the soon-to-be happy couples and instead weaves an amusing narrative around several of the mothers (played by Verónica Forqué, Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes, Mercedes Sampietro, and Betiana Blum) who are set to see their sons drift off into wedded bliss. As the mothers fuss and fight, a full range of concerns come to the fore, with issues of class and money raising their ugly heads, and Pereira deftly illustrating that there's very little difference between preparing for a gay wedding or a or straight one. The director throws in a few wickedly funny eccentricities throughout, with sex-mad Forqué's constant fornication threatening to throw a shadow over her son's big day, and Sampietro's homophobic mom being elected to wed all the couples. Pedro Almodovar's earlier comedies such as WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS? frequently come to mind, although Pereira's film is lighter fare, with the director more interested in raising laughs than in raising awareness. But QUEENS isn't designed to make any deeply political points beyond its basic premise, just to provide some entertainingly mindless viewing, largely thanks to excellent performances from its leading troupe of actresses. [More]
Starring: Verónica Forqué, Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes, Mercedes Sampietro
Starring: Verónica Forqué, Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes, Mercedes Sampietro, Betiana Blum
Director: Manuel Gomez Pereira
Director: Manuel Gomez Pereira
Screenwriter: Yolanda Garcia Serano
Producer: Joaquin Oristrell
Composer: Bingen Mendizabal
Studio: Regent Releasing
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Reviews for Queens (aka Reinas)
The star-heavy cast, which includes such big Spanish names as Carmen Maura, Marisa Paredes and Veronica Forque, are a treat to watch even when their dialogue isn't all it could be.
The frantic artificiality of the script rarely allows the characters to breathe. This is dinner-theater farce, featherweight and juiceless.
The cast is perfect, but the script is like a low ceiling, keeping a lid on what should have been a confluence of riotous misadventures.
Manuel Gómez Pereira's frantic direction is nonstop and the exhaustion of excess will get to you.
It feels like [Pereira] just plucked the men themselves from atop a wedding cake and stuck them in his movie, where for the most part they stand decoratively around and watch the women make suds from all this soap.
With what amounts to 20 characters crossing paths, Pereira's job description might seem more traffic cop than director, but he rises to the challenge and adds style and splashy color to boot.
Spanish director Manuel Gomez Pereira certainly draws inspiration from his compatriot Pedro Almodovar -- several of the actresses are even Pedro alums -- but the film falls short of Almodovar's usual depth and complexity.
Unfortunately for director and co-writer Manuel Gomez Pereira, all the energy in the world isn't enough to compensate for the superfluous plot lines and outrageous overacting that weigh down this bit of warm-hearted Spanish fluff.
We may be deep in Telemundo territory, but that doesn't diminish the glow-in-the-dark charisma of these impressive ladies.
Pereira goes in for lots of time shifts and split screens, piling on the contrivances like so many costume baubles when a single string of pearls would do.
With five overbearing mothers and six overshadowed gay sons, this Spanish meet-the-parents ensemble farce aims for Almodóvar but falls far short.
Queens is distinguished from a hundred other slick screwballers only by virtue of its theme -- the first mass gay wedding in Spain. Otherwise, it's middle-of-the-road formula fare all the way.
A dithering but generous Spanish farce, Queens follows the coming nuptials of three gay couples by focusing on their overbearing mothers.
For all its contrivances, the film is cheerfully rude and surprisingly generous to the mothers, most of whom find sizzling new romances at an age when their American counterparts are reduced to sexless dithering or played as humiliating punch lines.
Latest News for Queens (aka Reinas)
August 24, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Invincible," "Worms" Score; "Idlewild," "Beerfest" Mixed
This week at the movies, we've got four underdog stories. An average Joe tries to play pro football ("Invincible," starring Mark Wahlberg), the new kid in school tries... More...
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