La Comunidad (Common Wealth)

2000

La Comunidad (Common Wealth)

Critics Consensus

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TOMATOMETER

Total Count: N/A

85%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 3,548

La Comunidad (Common Wealth) Photos

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Movie Info

The fifth feature of noted Spanish filmmaker Alex de la Iglesia, La Comunidad is a frenetic black comedy set in a decrepit old house in the center of Madrid. One of the house's new residents is Julia Garcia (Carmen Maura, whose performance won her a best actress award at the 2000 San Sebastian Film Festival), a real estate agent who has taken an apartment to revive her sagging marriage. One day, while engaging in some bedroom bliss, Julia and her unemployed husband Ricardo (Jesus Bonilla) are attacked by cockroaches that rain down on them through a crack in the ceiling. During a subsequent investigation of the upstairs apartment, firemen discover a man's rotting corpse. Julia later conducts her own investigation of the apartment and discovers almost 15 million dollars hidden away under the floor boards -- the result of a soccer-pool win by the apartment's dead owner. She decides to take the winnings and run, but while removing the cash, meets her neighbor Ramona (Terele Pavez), who quickly becomes suspicious of Julia's activities. It turns out that everyone in the building knew about the money and agreed to share it amongst themselves, a plan severely compromised by Julia's desire to keep the money for herself. After inviting Julia to a welcome party held by the residents' association, her neighbors go to extreme lengths to get the money, and plenty of cartoon-colored murder and mayhem ensues.

Rating:

R (for violence, language and some sexuality)
Genre:

Comedy, Drama, Horror
Directed By:

Álex de la Iglesia
Written By:

Álex de la Iglesia, Jorge Guerricaechevarría
In Theaters:

Sep 29, 2000 limited
On Disc/Streaming:

Jan 11, 2005
Runtime:

110 minutes
Studio:

Lolafilms Distribucion

Cast

Carmen Maura
as Julia

Emilio Gutierrez Caba
as Emilio

Sancho Gracia
as Castro

Terele Pavez
as Ramona

Eduardo Antuña
as Charli

Jesus Bonilla
as Ricardo

Paca Gabaldon

Tejada Enrique Villen
as Dominguez

María Asquerino

Muro Paca

Ane Gabarain

Caba Kiti

Manver Terele

Pavez Roberto

Perdomo Manuel

Marta Fernández Muro

Enrique Villén

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Critic Reviews for La Comunidad (Common Wealth)

All Critics (3) | Top Critics (1) | DVD (1)

Iglesia updates the persecution complex and Holocaust allegory of Polanski's The Tenant as a nerd empowerment ritual.

Nov 9, 2004 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Ed Gonzalez
Slant Magazine

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Audience Reviews for La Comunidad (Common Wealth)

May 09, 2009

¨La Comunidad(Common Wealth)¨ brings out the darkest side of our human nature, bringing out delicious black comedy, horror and thriller elements without the need to invoke anything supernatural or fantastical. The pacing of the film is spot on, and the atmosphere and tension is built to great effect. The film is creepy, crazy and builds to real edge of the seat tension. The characters are all wonderful, and the cast give great performances.

John M Super Reviewer
Oct 11, 2008

Álex de la Iglesia makes one of the most fun and hilarious spoofs of crime and thriller films, referencing great directors such as Hitchcock and Polanski. Le Locataire (1976) is the most predominant reference. This one is among his best films. Hesitate not, my friend, as the dark humor is still present. 73/100

Edgar C Super Reviewer
Mar 07, 2008

[font=Century Gothic]In "Common Wealth," Julia(Carmen Maura), a temporary real estate agent, is showing a couple a furnished apartment in downtown Madrid where her and her underemployed husband, Ricardo(Jesus Bonilla), have been spending the occasional night to escape their unheated apartment, when water starts leaking in from the apartment above. After the fire department breaks in, a very, very dead body is found in hideous squalor. While going through his papers, Julia finds a map that leads her to a treasure of 300 million pesetas.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Common Wealth" is an entertaining movie with a nasty outlook of human nature(which was reinforced by the rubbernecking on the bus this morning) that owes a lot to "Delicatessen" for its basic setup, if not plot. So, while it is basically predictable, the movie does manage to pull off a couple of surprises in its exciting payoff. That, along with the always delightful Carmen Maura leading the way, does manage to make it quite worthwhile.[/font]

Walter M Super Reviewer
Jul 31, 2007

Along with "El dia de la bestia" this is De la Iglesia's best work. a mad, bloody film about greedy murderous neighbors. but warning, you may either hate its absurdity or simply die of laughter.

Pierluigi P Super Reviewer