CENTAURO

Spain, 2022, 89 minutes, Colour.

Alex Monner, Begona Vargas, Abraham Perez Fernandez, Edgar  Vittorino, Carlos Bardem, dollar Salmouni.

Directed by Daniel Calparsoro.

While this is a Barcelona story, it is a story of working class men and women, a focus on motorbike racing but also an immersion into the drug dealing culture of the city.

Alex Monner plays Rafa, a skilled mechanic but with a talent for racing bikes, being groomed by the experts for a good career. He has something of a carefree life with his friends but has had a past entanglement with a girlfriend which has led to the birth of his son to whom is devoted but who is protected by his alienated mother.

She gets into trouble because the drugs she was shielding are stolen and the dealers want them back. Rafa decides to intervene which leads to him committing himself to several months of being a courier, riding his bike to Marseille, getting through the borders, delivering the drugs. But, of course, the dealers, brutally ruthless in fact, want to keep hold of him.

Which leads to some melodrama, some violence, deaths. But, there is something of a surprise ending – when he is picked up by the police, they have a deal for him, that he ride for them, pursuing the dealers so that they can be arrested. Rafa’s whole life has been rather amoral so no difficulty in switching from the dealers to the police.

A popular action show with some serious themes.

1. A Barcelona story, working class men and women, the drug scene, motorbike way, police?
2. The Barcelona settings, the vistas of the city, homes, garages, drug dealing centres, warehouses? The vistas of Marseille? The highway between France and Spain? The musical score?
3. Rafa, his age, background, ordinary, not particularly bright, his work at the docks, overtime, resentments? The background with Natalya, her becoming pregnant, is leaving her, love for Mateo, time with him? His talent for motorbike riding, Regina and her promoting him, the various competitors, the visualising of the various rounds, the racing? The aftermath?
4. Natalya, the issue of the drugs, keeping them, their being stolen, the thugs coming in bashing her, Rafa’s response, bringing Natalya and Mateo to his home?
5. Rafa, in the neighbourhood, his friendship with Cortez? The warnings about the dealers? His going to confront them, promising to pay the stolen drug money? Meeting Carlos, Carlos and his attitudes, harsh? Moro as the intermediary? Carlos and his conditions, the graph a ride for him? The two months?
6. The journeys to Marseille, the fan, the particular bikes, the drugs, the boarder, the service stations, the drugs and the money, bringing them to Barcelona? Carlos and his demands, at any time? The variety of trips, the dangers, the chases, Rafa and his skill in evading the police?
7. Natalya, learning what it happened, a possible reconciliation, lovemaking, Mateo?
8. Carlos and the breaking of the deal, Rafa and the confrontation, with Moro, his attacking him, killing him? Cortez and the crew getting rid of the body? Carlos and he the car pursuit of Rafa on his bike, the truck intervening, the killing of Carlos?
9. Regina, the confrontation with Rafa, explaining the situation with the racing? Wanting to promote him?
10. The police watching the birthday party, taking Rafa in, knowing what it happened, the proposition, writing for the police?
11. Rafa, the bike, pursuing the criminals? Issues of conscience, change of heart, possibilities for redemption?