Spanish Apartment

Released: 18 Decemeber 2003
Cast: Romain Duris, Judith Godrèche, Audrey Tautou, Cécile De France, Kelly Reilly, Kevin Bishop
Director: Cédric Klapisch
Genre: Mystery/Drama/Crime
Rated: M
Running Time: 122 Minutes


They came from Paris, Rome, London and Berlin to... l'Auberge Espagnole ...where a year can change a lifetime.

Synopsis:
As part of a job that he is promised, Frenchman Xavier, an economics student in his twenties, signs on to a European exchange program in order to gain working knowledge of the Spanish language. Promising that they'll remain close, he says farewell to his loving girlfriend, then heads to Barcelona. Following his arrival, Xavier is soon thrust into a cultural melting pot when he moves into an apartment full of international students. An Italian, an English girl, a boy from Denmark, a young woman from Belgium, a German and a girl from Tarragona all join him in a series of adventures that serve as an initiation to life.


My Verdict:
At first I didnt think much of Spanish Apartment. It seemed too plain with not much happening. That is before Xavier, the main character, had arrived in Barcelona, after leaving his distraught girlfriend behind in Paris. Xavier provides a voice-over commentary on this part of his life and it is after his arrival in Barcelona that his life really takes on new meaning. At first, Xavier is a little overwhelmed by the immense decision he has made. He befriends another French couple at the airport and they invite him to stay with them in Barcelona until he can find an apartment.

Eventually, Xavier finds accommodation in the apartment from the title of the movie and the fun begins. Sharing an apartment with six people is taxing enough, but throw in the fact that they are all from different countries and you have a very mixed group of cultural backgrounds and beliefs. The apartment is where the main action of the movie takes place although there is some footage of Barcelona thrown in to prove that the film really was shot there. It is in the apartment that there are some very interesting episodes where the clashes of the cultures really surface. Each of the occupants is on a very steep learning curve, having to accommodate each others idiosyncrasies and language barriers. The longer Xavier stays in the apartment, the more he likes the ups and downs of the lifestyle and begins to question his relationship with Martine. He has an affair, and really lets himself go with the flow, worrying about the consequences later.

The conclusion of the movie is a bit iffy as it sinks into predictability. Xavier returns home after his year in Spain and questions his previous life there was no surprise there given that hed just spent the time of his life in Barcelona. But this ending is not reason enough to dismiss the movie. For anyone who has ever shared living with others, there is plenty to relate to. For anyone who has travelled overseas and been awestruck by the language and cultural differences, there is plenty to relate to also. And, for anyone who has never shared living with others, this movie is an eye-opener to an endless array of possibilities and begs the question would you do the same given the same scenario? It sure looked like fun to me.


- Christina Bruce