The Unexpected Life

The Unexpected Life
SpanishLa vida inesperada
Directed byJorge Torregrossa
Written byElvira Lindo
Starring
CinematographyKiko de la Rica
Music by
Production
companies
  • Ruleta Media
  • La Vida Inesperada AIE
  • LVI Inc.
Distributed byUniversal Pictures (es)
Release dates
  • 28 March 2014 (2014-03-28) (Málaga)
  • 25 April 2014 (2014-04-25) (Spain)
Countries
  • Spain
  • United States
Languages
  • Spanish
  • English

The Unexpected Life (Spanish: La vida inesperada) is a 2014 Spanish-American comedy-drama film directed by Jorge Torregrossa [es] and written by Elvira Lindo, which stars Javier Cámara, Carmen Ruiz, Raúl Arévalo, Tammy Blanchard and Sarah Sokolovic.

Plot

The plot concerns the developments following the meeting of Juanito (who settled in New York hoping to pursue an acting career), with his cousin (Primo), who arrives in NYC to pay Juanito a visit.

Cast

Production

A Spanish-American co-production, The Unexpected Life was produced by Ruleta Media and La Vida Inesperada AIE alongside LVI Inc., with the participation of TVE, Canal+ and Cosmopolitan TV, collaboration of Numérica Films and support from ICAA and IVAC.[2] Shooting began in New York City in March 2013.[3]

Release

The film was presented to the main competition of the 17th Málaga Film Festival on 28 March 2014, screened at the Teatro Cervantes.[4][5] Distributed by Universal Pictures International Spain,[6] the film opened in Spanish theatres on 25 April 2014.

Reception

Jonathan Holland of The Hollywood Reporter considered the film to be "a wasted opportunity, largely because of a script which seems unable to decide whether it wants to deliver romance or reality", while noting that lead performers Cámara and Arévalo do not fail to deliver and the score by Godoy and Jusid "is a terrific piano and orchestra".[1]

Carlos Marañón of Cinemanía rated the film 3½ out of 5 stars, assessing that, in a rare instance of "comedy film taking good people seriously", Torregrossa "has found the perfect bitter tone to make a comedy rise above its jokes", with the "invaluable" help from Carmen Ruiz.[7]

Toni Vall of Ara scored 4 out of 5 stars, deeming The Unexpected Life to be "fatalistic and luminous", "a story in chiaroscuro, tinged with melancholy and inhabited by a beautiful realism".[8]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2015 2nd Feroz Awards Best Comedy Film Nominated [9]
Best Actor Javier Cámara Nominated
Best Original Music Lucio Godoy, Federico Jusid Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Holland, Jonathan (11 May 2014). "The Unexpected Life (La vida inesperada): Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. ^ "Beatriz Bodegas: "Una de las partes más delicadas ha sido el sonido, Nueva York no es precisamente una ciudad silenciosa"". Audiovisual451. 19 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Comienza en Nueva York el rodaje de 'La vida inesperada', con Javier Cámara". Europa Press. 25 March 2013.
  4. ^ Díaz, Alejandro (28 March 2014). "'La vida inesperada', una comedia romántica pone el punto final a la sección oficial". Diario Sur.
  5. ^ "'La vida inesperada', una comedia sentimental en la sección oficial". Festival de Málaga. 28 March 2014.
  6. ^ "'La vida inesperada' – estreno en cines 25 de abril". Audiovisual451. 21 April 2014.
  7. ^ Marañón, Carlos (21 July 2014). "La vida inesperada". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  8. ^ Vall, Toni (24 April 2014). "La vida inesperada". Ara.
  9. ^ Álvarez, Guillermo (25 January 2015). "Lista de ganadores de los Premios Feroz 2015". Ecartelera.