A GUN IN EACH HAND

Spain, 2012, 95 minutes, Colour.
Javier Camara, Luis Tosar, Ricardo Darin, Eduardo Fernandez, Jordi Molla, Eduardo Noriega, Alberto San Juan, Leonor Watling, Cayetana Guillen Cuervo.
Directed by Cesc Gay.

A Gun in Each Hand sounds like either a western or a gangster film. It is neither.

In fact, this is a very urban drama, set in contemporary Barcelona. It is also something of a cinema talk-fest, the impact relying on the dialogue and performance rather than any action. This means it will be fascinating for those who enjoy looking and listening, frustrating or tedious for those who prefer fewer words and more action.

Not only is the film principally dialogue, it is divided, basically, into five acts. In each of the acts, two characters converse with each other, although the final act has a double set of characters. And the conversation is principally amongst men.

The first story sets the tone, a seedy-looking man arriving at a building, looking for a lawyer. By chance, he encounters a friend that he has not seen for ten years who is emerging from a therapy session. They stop on the ground floor and have a conversation which runs for more than ten minutes. They reveal themselves, their characters, their friendship, the absences, marriage and divorce, the role of therapy. They say they should meet again but we suspect that they will not.

A woman is introduced into the second conversation. She is at home, working, caring for the children. Her ex-husband comes to visit, wanting to make connections again, as they talk about responsibility, family. It is not likely that they will reconnect.

In the third episode we are taken outside, a man sitting in the park, watching the apartment where his wife is now living and preparing to marry someone else. When a man walking a dog passes by, they connect, the gradual realisation that the man with the dog is the new husband.

There is change of tone in the fourth story as a seemingly shy young man approaches a rather vivacious worker in his office. He has lustful intentions and she leads him on. He is eager to believe her and becomes the subject of humiliation and mockery.

In the final episode, before a concluding party where several of the characters come together though not necessarily connecting, two men are on their way to the party as are two women. One couple goes by car, the other walking, but each of the women describes the sexual behaviour of her husband to the other, the men being friends. There is a frankness in these discussions.

A very fine cast of celebrated Spanish and Latin American actors contribute to the power of the film. However, ultimately, it is left to the audience to make any judgments on the characters, how interesting they are, how real their lives and problems.

1. All slices of life? Principally men’s life? Men in their forties? In relationship to one another? Two women?

2. A Barcelona story? The men’s stories? Situations? Friendship? Marriage? Divorce? Fidelity and infidelity?

3. The city, exteriors, the park, streets, foot paths? Interiors, the building, the elevator, apartments? The party? The musical score?

4. The title, dealing with situations as best one can? The violent overtones? The sexual symbolic overtones?

5. The structure: the five stories, in themselves, their effect separately, together? The party bringing characters together?

6. The emphasis on dialogue, performance, scripted and improvised? Realism? Thematic stories? Insights?

7. The first man arriving at the building, his life, his background, appearance, sense of failure? The elevator? Meeting his friend, coming from the therapy appointment, the discussions about psychology and therapy? Not having met for 10 years? The memories, true and false, catching up, relationships, separations and divorce? The jobs? The nature of their friendship? Their plans to meet again, or not? The self-revelation?

8. The second man and his character, visiting, his children, his ex-wife? Watching at the door, his wife at work? Family, responsibilities? The arguments, the stances, Yielding or not?

9. The man sitting in the park, his relationship with his wife, her leaving him, his watching the apartment, the man walking his dog, stopping, discussion, first impressions, realization of the truth, the interactions, emotions, love and betrayal? Consequences?

10. The man at work, the self-confident woman? The office, the layout? Friends? His silence? Her promotions? The celebration? His tentative approach, shyness, his being married? Yet his interest and the woman, the touch of leering, stalking? His hopes? Their discussions, her type, her self-image, arranging the meeting? His going to the toilets, preparing for the rendezvous, believing her? Her setting him up? Coming out, the girls, laughing at him, the air lift, the humiliation? Self-discovery?

11. The two couples going to the party, the men and their wives, the wives talking to their friends husbands? One driving, one walking? Intimate details about the other, sex life and behaviour? Characters?

12. The party, arrival, the guests, the host, chatter, the men from the previous stories? The man from the office as the hosts neighbour, joining the party?

13. The film stopping, leading to the audience to ponder the future? How involving for the audience, the experience like a play or television discussion? The audience listening, looking, the final effect?