Malaga, late 70s. Miguelito Dávila (Alberto Amarilla) is 18 years old. He's just left hospital minus a kidney but in possession of an impressive scar and a copy of Dante's "The Divine Comedy", a gift from a fellow patient that has inspired him to become a poet. Miguelito finds a muse in Luli (María Ruiz) and he falls in love with her. Over the course of the summer, Miguelito and his friends explore love, sex and friendship along the path to adulthood. Their ambitions, like the Camino de los Ingleses, a road that crosses their hometown, could take them anywhere. But it's a rough road and every summer has its rainy day.
Summer rain is a lushly romantic, beautifully crafted portrait of coming of age in southern Spain in the 1970s. In his second feature film as director, Antonio Banderas delivers a very intimate drama about dreams and ambition, with an emotional force which reflects Banderas' own ties with the Spanish film industry.
Special Agent Matti
Summer rain (El camino de los Ingleses) is certainly a coming of age movie with sex and crime but it has nothing on Crime novel (Romanzo criminale). And the direction is way over the top with lots of meaningless art thrown in, seemingly at random. I'm all for random acts of senseless beauty but they're supposed to enhance the environment, not upstage your own work.
The drama, romance, Spain movie Summer rain (El camino de los Ingleses) is directed by Antonio Banderas and stars Alberto Amarilla, María Ruiz, Félix Gómez.
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* minutes (* hours)
Film: 10 May 2007
