If the title of Living is Easy with Eyes Closed (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados) doesn’t spark an understanding of its musical obsession, then its opening will – and the first scene that follows shows just how committed the film is to its inspiration. The famous line from ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ begets a news report covering John Lennon’s visit to Spain in 1966, which segues into a classroom filled with students learning English by reciting the lyrics to ‘Help’. The Beatles aren’t just an influence on writer/director David Trueba’s (Madrid, 1987) feature; they’re part of the fabric of the film.
In the small city of Albacete, Antonio (Javier Cámara, A Gun in Each Hand) knows that his favourite musician is making a movie in nearby Almería, and will go to any lengths to indulge his mania, as his unorthodox teaching methods illustrate. A solo drive to meet his idol soon becomes an excursion shared by teenage runaway Juanjo (Francesc Colomer, Black Bread) and pregnant outcast Belén (Natalia de Molina, Temporal). Together, the trio forge more than an unlikely friendship; in the quest to cross paths with one of the most famous figures in the world, they each find their sense of self.
Sweeping the pool at the 2013 Goya Awards, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed is the epitome of feel-good fare, as its kind-hearted narrative, sincere characters and warm colour palette make considerable efforts to show. Part road-trip, part coming-of-age journey, the story saunters along through familiar tropes, heightening its interest through its pop star fixation. Its three protagonists wear their hearts on their sleeves as they conquer their emotional demons during their seaside sojourn, their earnestness never in question. Ample use of mustard, emerald and burnt red tones paints every scene in a glossy but genuine glow.
Though there’s nothing surprising about the way the events play out in the usual clichéd fashion, a quiet charm radiates from the collection of expected elements. Passion seeps through, not just in the scenes of Antonio expressing the solace he finds in The Beatles’ songs, but in the way the script brings each of its characters to their respective cathartic moments. Sensitivity also stems from conveying the film’s Franco-era temporal setting, interweaving tokens of the troubled time into the main tale. As a writer, Trueba shows skill in keeping things tender as well as thoughtful, no matter how trite they may be. As a director, he brings the simple, sweet effort to light with a loving eye.
In the spirit of its musical impetus, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed aims to be genial and tranquil, a mood enlivened by Trueba’s attuned casting. Colomer and de Molina add amiability to parts that could easily have remained thinly drawn, demonstrating their easy rapport in the process; however it is the ever-reliable Cámara that perfects the feature’s air of pleasantness. A staple player in Pedro Almodovar’s films, his chameleonic talents have been confirmed in Talk to Her, Bad Education and I’m So Excited; here, he affords an affable balance of resonant and relatable. Watching a film both honeyed and hackneyed is made easier and more enjoyable by his presence.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Living is Easy with Eyes Closed (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados)
Director: David Trueba
Spain, 2013, 108 mins
Spanish Film Festival
www.spanishfilmfestival.com/sessions/
Sydney: 29 April – 18 May, Palace Verona and Palace Norton Street
Melbourne: 30 April – 18 May, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth & Kino Cinema
Brisbane: 1 – 14 May, Palace Barracks and Palace Centro
Canberra: 1 – 14 May, Palace Electric Cinema
Perth: 6 – 21 May, Cinema Paradiso
Adelaide: 6 – 21 May, Palace Nova Eastend Cinema
Byron Bay: 8 – 14 May, Palace Byron Bay
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