Alberto San Juan Movies

When an adoptee makes life increasingly hellish for his or her foster parents, at what point does it become ethically appropriate for the couple to return the child? That's the question posed by this earnest melodrama from Spain, helmed by director David Parnell. Manu (Brandon Lastra), an 8-year-old Peruvian boy, suffers from severe emotional dysfunction - he vacillates between sullen introversion and wild bouts of hyperactivity - and carries around a troubled personal history that witnessed his rejection by two different sets of foster parents. He falls into the custody of a middle-class Spanish couple, Lucia (Natalia Mateo) and Pepe (Alberto San Juan), who ultimately feel ill-at-ease with him and frightened of his behavioral extremities; Pepe considers returning Manu to social services, though Lucia disagrees, and begins to notice an unusual bond forming between Manu and their Peruvian housekeeper, Rosa (Norma Martinez). As Lucia and Pepe meet with Social Services to discuss options and Rosa takes Manu to a local birthday party, dark and long-buried secrets emerge that threaten to tear this fragile foster family asunder. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A drunken Madrid transient plans to sabotage his brother's wedding, only to have second thoughts after striking up an unusual friendship with the bride-to-be's borderline autistic child. Benito lives on the streets of Madrid, never staying in one place for longer than it takes to find another bottle and be on his way. Obliged to return to his hometown of Estella at the behest of his benevolent brother Lalo, Benito is disturbed to discover that his sibling is engaged to a singe mother with a troubled history. At first Benito vows to torpedo the wedding plans by any means possible, but a remarkable friendship soon leads the meddling drunk to reconsider his stance on the marriage. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Spanish writer-director Emilio Martínez Lazáro's bawdy musical comedy romance Both Sides of the Bed (Los Dos Lados de la Cama, 2006) constitutes a sequel to that director's earlier musical The Other Side of the Bed (AKA El Otro Lado de la Cama, 2002). Just as that first film plays out the farcical romantic shenanigans of a group of single young men and their lovers, the sequel offers more of the same, but adds greater depth to the proceedings. The story finds Javier (Ernesto Alterio) and Marta (Veronica) celebrating their pending nuptials in a nightclub, on the evening before their wedding. They are accompanied by two friends romantically involved with one another, Pedro (Guillermo Toledo) and the chanteuse Raquel (Lucia Jimenez). The plans of each couple are soon undone by Marta's hesitation - the product of her undeclared lesbianism and carnal involvement with Raquel (evident when the women quietly slip off to the ladies' room and have intercourse). A third friend, Carlota (Pilar Castro), happens to stumble onto the women making it, but says nothing to the boys. The next morning, Marta jilts Javier, Raquel leaves Pedro, and the remainder of the film has the men gradually coming face-to-face with the girls' lesbianism, while forging a deeper bond with Carlota. Throughout the film, Lazáro laces his picture with bubble-gum music (predominantly breezy 1970s and 1980s Spanish pop hits) and electric choreography, performed by an ensemble of twenty dancers. In lieu of employing musical asides, the director integrates the musical numbers into individual scenes. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Spanish writer Ramón De España penned and directed this adaptation of his novel, a dark crime comedy about a young woman named Maribel who tires of waiting for her husband to die so she can collect the inheritance. After falling in love with a younger man, Maribel enlists the help of her new lover to hasten her husband's inevitable demise. Kill Me Tender was originally released as Haz Conmigo lo Que Quieras. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

The Spanish comedy Dias de Futbol (Soccer Days), written and directed by The Other Side of the Bed screenwriter David Serrano, is an ensemble film about an ex-convict. Antonio (Ernesto Alterio) returns to his circle of friends. His associates include Jorge (Alberto San Juan), who is as repressed and fearful as Antonio is outgoing and fearless. Jorge pines for Antonio's sister Violetta (Natalia Verbeke), but she is not inclined to reciprocate those feelings. Antonio feels he knows a thing or two about people having undergone therapy in prison and decides to build up Jorge's self-confidence by forming a soccer team. Among the new teammates are local policeman Miguel (Luis Bermejo), ambitious young actor Charlie (Pere Ponce), and bus driver Ramon (Roberto Alamo). The travails in their personal lives and their coming together as a team form the action in this character-driven vehicle. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Spanish filmmaker Emilio Martinez-Lazaro directs the musical comedy El Otro Lado De La Cama (The Wrong Side of the Bed). The farcical story involves the romantic betrayals and couplings between Pedro (Guillermo Toledo), Paula (Natalia Verbeke), Javier (Ernesto Alterio), and Sonia (Paz Vega). When Paula breaks up with Pedro, he hires a private detective, Sagaz (Ramon Barea), to follow her. She's really dating Javier, who tries to get Pedro to date Pilar (Maria Esteve). Pedro eventually dates Sonia, whom Javier believes is dating lesbian actress Lucia (Nathalie Poza). This romantic comedy incorparates '80s-style song and dance numbers into the narrative. Also starring Alberto San Juan as the cab driver Rafa. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Located in Madrid's Plaza del Sol, Km. 0 is the point from which all distances in Spain are measured from the capital. In Km. 0, it is also the meeting point for a gallery of characters. Bored, affluent housewife Marga (Concha Velasco) meets up with gigolo Miguel (Jesus Cabrero), who co-habitates with gay Benjamin (Miquel Garcia). Sergio, a soon-to-be-married office clerk who can't wait to lose his virginity, makes the acquaintance of prostitute Tatiana (Elisa Matilla), while gay dancer Bruno (Victor Ullate Jr.) meets Maximo (Armando delRio). Meanwhile, wannabe director Pedro (Carlos Fuentes) arranges to meet up with Silvia (Merce Pons), an actress who wants to work in musicals directed by Gerardo (George Corraface), and bartender Mario (Tristan Ulloa) is caught between Amor (Silke), who wants to marry him, and her little sister Roma (Cora Tiedra), who is truly in love with him. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Director Miguel Bardem spins this bizarre crime drama/sci-fi/farce about Lola Otero, who had the unfortunate happenstance to be born the ugliest woman in the world. Rejected by her parents and classmates alike, poor Lola endured getting raped and having her first boyfriend vomit after kissing her. Her fortunes change when a mad scientist transfigures her into statuesque bombshell. Though she soon enters the exalted ranks of supermodel, she is so traumatized by her troubled childhood that she takes to killing other beauties, particularly former Miss Spain winners. Matters are complicated when the glass-eyed inspector assigned to investigate the murders falls for Lola. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Mixing thrills with satirical humor, this Spanish film looks at the power of television and how it affects people in their daily lives. On the outs with his former girlfriend Ana Maria (Natalia Dicenta), Alberto (Alberto San Juan) is living with his friend Elvira (Paz Vega); though she doesn't want him back, Ana Maria is quite jealous of Alberto's new situation. Ramiro (Eduard Fernandez), Elvira's former lover, sneaks into the flat where Elvira and Alberto are staying, hiding there without the couple's knowledge as they watch a television news broadcast. As fate would have it, Ramiro is the top story of the moment; he's a violent lunatic who has just escaped from custody and is believed to be looking for revenge against his former girlfriend, as Ramiro's identical twin brother Ramon leads a manhunt. Although Zapped was not well-received in its native Spain, most reviewers conceded that it has an exciting first act and shows an interesting, energetic visual style. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi