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Open Your Eyes (1997)

Open Your Eyes (1997)
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The line between dreams and reality become increasingly blurred after a womanizing playboy is nearly killed by a jilted lover in Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar's masterful sophomore effort Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes). It would seem as if Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) has it all. Handsome, charming, and with money to burn, he can get any girl he wants, and usually does so on a nightly basis. Following a birthday party in which he chats up Sofia (Penelope Cruz), the date of his best friend Pelayo (Fele Martinez), Cesar is plunged headfirst into a nightmare world when jealous former lover Nuria (Najwa Nimri) swallows a handful of pills and sends her car careening into a cement wall with the terrified playboy as her hapless passenger. With his formerly strikingly handsome face now twisted into a hideous mass of scarred flesh, Cesar's ugly emotions are now externalized for all to see. Pining for a plastic-surgery miracle to return him to his former glory so that he can seek out Sofia and take a chance at real love, he is pleasantly surprised when the doctors make a breakthrough and Sofia accepts him back into her life. Although all seems perfect for the moment, the formerly soulless player finds that this is only the beginning of his increasingly disturbing journey. Why is Sofia changing appearance and turning into Nuria periodically? And why won't the police and his psychiatrist believe Cesar's desperate attempts to rationalize a world that is growing increasingly surreal? Could it have something to do with a doctor Cesar has seen on television who keeps appearing and attempting to help him out of his nightmare? Peeling away at the layers of his subconscious, Cesar begins to realize that reality is no more than a state of mind, and that in order to get his life back he may be forced to take unthinkable measures. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Eduardo NoriegaPenélope Cruz, (more)
Director(s):
Alejandro Amenábar
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Open Your Eyes

The line between dreams and reality become increasingly blurred after a womanizing playboy is nearly killed by a jilted lover in Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar's masterful sophomore effort Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes). It would seem as if Cesar (Eduardo Noriega) has it all. Handsome, charming, and with money to burn, he can get any girl he wants, and usually does so on a nightly basis. Following a birthday party in which he chats up Sofia (Penelope Cruz), the date of his best friend Pelayo (Fele Martinez), Cesar is plunged headfirst into a nightmare world when jealous former lover Nuria (Najwa Nimri) swallows a handful of pills and sends her car careening into a cement wall with the terrified playboy as her hapless passenger. With his formerly strikingly handsome face now twisted into a hideous mass of scarred flesh, Cesar's ugly emotions are now externalized for all to see. Pining for a plastic-surgery miracle to return him to his former glory so that he can seek out Sofia and take a chance at real love, he is pleasantly surprised when the doctors make a breakthrough and Sofia accepts him back into her life. Although all seems perfect for the moment, the formerly soulless player finds that this is only the beginning of his increasingly disturbing journey. Why is Sofia changing appearance and turning into Nuria periodically? And why won't the police and his psychiatrist believe Cesar's desperate attempts to rationalize a world that is growing increasingly surreal? Could it have something to do with a doctor Cesar has seen on television who keeps appearing and attempting to help him out of his nightmare? Peeling away at the layers of his subconscious, Cesar begins to realize that reality is no more than a state of mind, and that in order to get his life back he may be forced to take unthinkable measures. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
117 mins

Complete Cast of Open Your Eyes


Director(s):
Alejandro Amenábar
Writer(s):
Mateo Gil
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Sexual Situations, Violence, Nudity, Profanity)
Categories:
Mystery & Suspense
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Celia N.

    We may be the only reviewers that had not seen Vanilla Sky first, which sounds like a 'plus' to me. We didn't know where this was going and found it extremely engaging. You are never sure what is a dream or reality until the end. The script is very tight and well written. The acting superb. Pay attention to the cinematography as it is reinforces the script immensely. If you like a movie that requires you to 'think' and 'analyze' to understand, then see Abre los Ohos. And while you're at it, see Director Amenabar's other movies as well.

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    Andrea P.

    I don't care much for "Abre los Ojos", but perhaps that's mainly because I first saw the English remake, "Vanilla Sky", and, as a result, nothing in the original came as a surprise for me. Sometimes it makes sense to see both the original and the remake, especially if they are in different languages. In this case, it is not only unnecessary, but a complete waste of time, because the remake so utterly follows the original script. I do think the acting and cinematography are much better in "Vanilla Sky", though. In general, there is a method to Spanish acting that displeases me: The actors seem to race through their lines, while displaying minimal emotion, except for anger or irritation. American acting allows for much broader physical and verbal expression. That feeling was certainly enforced after I viewed these two films. If you are deciding between the two, I recommend "Vanilla Sky" as the better film (although it is still far from one of my favorites).

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    Gabriel S.

    If you liked Vanilla Sky then you should see this movie. It has much better acting and makes Vanilla Sky wanting more.

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