Obsession in movies reaches a new high (maybe low) in the very poorly titled
SUNTAN, a new film from Greek moviemaker,
Argyris Papadimitropoulos, shown below. For a film that starts out as well as does this one, it's surprising that, by its finale, it has thoroughly degenerated into stuff and nonsense. Part of the problem is that Mr. Papadimitropoulos withholds almost all information about his leading character, a middle-aged doctor named Kostis, until the man's behavior has grown so over-the-top that his late-coming explanation to the leading lady -- "Forgive me: I've been an emotional wreck for the past few years" -- seems more ridiculous than appropriate.
Not that the young lady in question is herself any great catch. Granted she's cute, hot as hell and doesn't mind a little quick, fun sex. But she and her group of friends seem so entitled and full of themselves -- youth really
is wasted on the young -- that their behavior proves mostly a turn-off (even if their copious full-frontal nudity is quite a turn-on).
It is around the time that one too many scenes of our "hero" dancing and drinking in an all-night local club occurs that you may begin wondering if the movie is going a bit off the track. It is -- and it continues as such throughout.
If the movie seems a cobbled-together combo of
The Blue Angel and
The Brown Bunny, its performances, however, are very good -- especially those of
Makis Papadimitriou (above, here billed as Efthymis Papadimitriou and last seen on these shores in the much better film,
Chevalier) as the island's new doctor, and newcomer
Ellie Tringou (below), as his favorite patient, Anna.
The remainder of the young people seem to have been cast for their lithe bodies, small but curvy breasts, and big bouncing cocks, while the older folk -- from the town's helpful mayor to its drunken sleazeball -- get to possess a bit more character (well, they've grown into it!).
By the time someone notes, about our not-so-hot doc, "What an ass!" you are not likely to offer up much disagreement. And then near the conclusion, as we hear, after the young woman goes missing, the continued calls of "Anna! Anna!" you may be put in mind of a so-much-better movie called
L'Avventura.
TrustMovies would guess that the main reason for the theatrical release of
Suntan is all its sexplay and nudity. These are indeed pleasant to view, but if you are looking for something actually serious -- the press release for the film notes that "
Suntan celebrates the beauty and strength of the youthful body, while simultaneously embracing its inevitable decay" but this is mostly hoo-hah -- do look elsewhere.
From
Strand Releasing and running a little-too-long 104 minutes, the movie opens this Friday, March 10, in New York City at the
Village East Cinema and in Los Angeles on Friday, March 24 at
Laemmle's Royal. To see all currently scheduled playdates, cities and theaters, click
here and then click on
Screenings in the task bar midway down.
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