El Mismo Amor, la Misma Lluvia
Encyclopedia
El mismo amor, la misma lluvia (Same Love, Same Rain) (1999
) is an Argentine
and American
romantic comedy
film
. It was directed by Juan José Campanella and written by Campanella and Fernando Castets. The picture features Ricardo Darín
, Soledad Villamil
, Ulises Dumont
, Eduardo Blanco
, among others.
), a young and talented Argentinian writer, upon returning from a trip to Europe, is forced to write short love stories for "Cosas", a local, light-themed magazine, to aid his dire financial situation. His boss and best friend, Roberto (Eduardo Blando
), constantly censors Jorge's stories, by deciding which parts to take out or which stories not to print. Jorge's friend and mentor, Mastronardi, often visits the magazine HQ asking Roberto for work, but due to his history of struggling against the military government in Argentina, finds himself in a black list and cannot find work.
In the showing of a short film, based on a story by Jorge, he meets Laura (Soledad Villamil
), a passionate, beautiful and charming young girl who works as a waiter in a restaurant. He is instantly smitten by her, and she gives him her card. Days after, he receives news of the death of Mastronardi, and begins to write a story about his deceased friend. However, he experiences writer's block, and cannot get around to finish it. Jorge then finds the card Laura gave him, and decides to go the restaurant where she works. They go on a date to a bar, and they display chemistry and understanding, and Laura reveals that she has a boyfriend, an artist on a tour in Uruguay. Things go awry when the police raid the place and take Laura to jail, as she did not have her documents. Jorge then decides to be taken to jail himself in order to oversee Laura's safety. Upon their release, Laura and Jorge spend more and more time together, and Jorge reveals his feelings for Laura. She then tells him that she currently does not reciprocate, but she will call him if she "figures out any context" in which she could.
Months go by and Jorge buries himself in his work, starts a diary (which he then throws away) and loses hope of receiving Laura's phone call. However, she then calls him and they arrange a date, at which she reveals that she wanted to be sure of not waiting for her boyfriend anymore before starting a new relationship. They kiss, make love and start a relationship. The first months are full of romance and passion; however, when Laura decides to quit her job to work for free at a local radio station, Jorge begins to lose interest in her, and is constantly bothered by the monotony of their relationship. To make matters worse, Laura has decided to make a great writer out of Jorge, and constantly pressures him to stop writing the short and simple-minded love stories and focus on a powerful book.
When Jorge reaches the breaking point and cannot stand the current status of his relationship with Laura, he cheats on her with Carola. Laura finds out and leaves him immediately. Jorge, once again, buries himself in his work, until he receives news from Roberto that, due to restructuring, the magazine will no longer publish his stories. However, he is offered a job as the movie and theatre critic of the magazine, which he angrily refuses. He then finds the inspiration to finish Mastronardi's story and take it to the theatre. However, the play is a failure, and because of the effort he put in it, Jorge is heartbroken. Jorge then receives an emotional visit from Mastronardi's spirit, who asks him to look after his son, Sebastián.
In 1987, things have changed: Jorge has accepted the job offer as the movie and theatre critic, and Roberto is engaged to Marita, a friend of Laura's whom he met in a double date set by Jorge and Laura years before. Jorge is in a relationship with a new girl; however, he finds himself shocked when he receives news that Laura is to be married to her old boyfriend. This prompts Jorge to track Laura and, after spending a day together, they make love, and Laura then decides that she will get married anyway.
Once again, years go by, and in the 90s, a bitter and disillusioned Jorge, still works as a critic. However, due to his failures and disappointments, and to the loss of his spirit and morals, we learn that he now asks for money in return for writing favourable reviews. This works against him when Laura, one of the producers of the movie he asked money to write a favourable review for, personally delivers him the money, and looks at him with disgust.
One day at the office, due to a disagreement, veteran political journalist Márquez (Ulises Dumont
) has a heated exchange with his boss, young Micky (Rodrigo de la Serna
) and is fired. This then prompts Sebastián, Mastronardi's son, to blame Jorge for his father's death. Unable to cope with guilt, and after realizing how much he has changed, Jorge attempts suicide. This attempt, however, is frustrated by Roberto, who arrives just in time to save him. After the suicide attempt, there is a surprise party, at which the employees of Cosas decide to donate one twelfth of their salaries to Márquez. Laura and Jorge meet once again, and share a long talk about their lives, hopes and crushed dreams.
The movie ends with a hint that Jorge and Laura will give their relationship one last chance. Jorge, reinvigorated, and looking like a happy man for the first time in years, watches her taxi depart with a broad smile. He is then greeted by his friends, Márquez, Sebastián and Roberto, and tells them of the new love story he is planning to write.
It was screened at various film festivals, including: the Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain
; the Gramado Film Festival, Brazil
; the Oslo Films from the South Festival, Norway
; the San Diego Latino Film Festival, San Diego, USA; and others.
Nominations
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. It was directed by Juan José Campanella and written by Campanella and Fernando Castets. The picture features Ricardo Darín
Ricardo Darín
Ricardo Darín is an Argentine actor, screenwriter and film director.Darín is one of the biggest movie stars in Argentina. He played a number of parts in TV series for several years where he became popular as a young leading actor...
, Soledad Villamil
Soledad Villamil
Soledad Villamil is an Argentine film and television actress and singer.-Filmography :* El secreto de sus ojos The Secret in Their Eyes* No sos vos, soy yo It's Not You, It's Me...
, Ulises Dumont
Ulises Dumont
Ulises Dumont was a prolific Argentine film actor, credited with over 80 appearances in film and countless others in theatre and television from 1964 until his death in 2008.-Life and work:...
, Eduardo Blanco
Eduardo Blanco (actor)
Eduardo Blanco is an Argentine actor best known for his roles in the trilogy of films directed by Juan José Campanella, his friend and frequent collaborator: El Mismo Amor, la Misma Lluvia , El Hijo de la Novia and Luna de Avellaneda .- Biography :Blanco started as a theater actor, most notably...
, among others.
Plot
In 1980, Jorge Pellegrini (Ricardo DarínRicardo Darín
Ricardo Darín is an Argentine actor, screenwriter and film director.Darín is one of the biggest movie stars in Argentina. He played a number of parts in TV series for several years where he became popular as a young leading actor...
), a young and talented Argentinian writer, upon returning from a trip to Europe, is forced to write short love stories for "Cosas", a local, light-themed magazine, to aid his dire financial situation. His boss and best friend, Roberto (Eduardo Blando
Eduardo Blanco (actor)
Eduardo Blanco is an Argentine actor best known for his roles in the trilogy of films directed by Juan José Campanella, his friend and frequent collaborator: El Mismo Amor, la Misma Lluvia , El Hijo de la Novia and Luna de Avellaneda .- Biography :Blanco started as a theater actor, most notably...
), constantly censors Jorge's stories, by deciding which parts to take out or which stories not to print. Jorge's friend and mentor, Mastronardi, often visits the magazine HQ asking Roberto for work, but due to his history of struggling against the military government in Argentina, finds himself in a black list and cannot find work.
In the showing of a short film, based on a story by Jorge, he meets Laura (Soledad Villamil
Soledad Villamil
Soledad Villamil is an Argentine film and television actress and singer.-Filmography :* El secreto de sus ojos The Secret in Their Eyes* No sos vos, soy yo It's Not You, It's Me...
), a passionate, beautiful and charming young girl who works as a waiter in a restaurant. He is instantly smitten by her, and she gives him her card. Days after, he receives news of the death of Mastronardi, and begins to write a story about his deceased friend. However, he experiences writer's block, and cannot get around to finish it. Jorge then finds the card Laura gave him, and decides to go the restaurant where she works. They go on a date to a bar, and they display chemistry and understanding, and Laura reveals that she has a boyfriend, an artist on a tour in Uruguay. Things go awry when the police raid the place and take Laura to jail, as she did not have her documents. Jorge then decides to be taken to jail himself in order to oversee Laura's safety. Upon their release, Laura and Jorge spend more and more time together, and Jorge reveals his feelings for Laura. She then tells him that she currently does not reciprocate, but she will call him if she "figures out any context" in which she could.
Months go by and Jorge buries himself in his work, starts a diary (which he then throws away) and loses hope of receiving Laura's phone call. However, she then calls him and they arrange a date, at which she reveals that she wanted to be sure of not waiting for her boyfriend anymore before starting a new relationship. They kiss, make love and start a relationship. The first months are full of romance and passion; however, when Laura decides to quit her job to work for free at a local radio station, Jorge begins to lose interest in her, and is constantly bothered by the monotony of their relationship. To make matters worse, Laura has decided to make a great writer out of Jorge, and constantly pressures him to stop writing the short and simple-minded love stories and focus on a powerful book.
When Jorge reaches the breaking point and cannot stand the current status of his relationship with Laura, he cheats on her with Carola. Laura finds out and leaves him immediately. Jorge, once again, buries himself in his work, until he receives news from Roberto that, due to restructuring, the magazine will no longer publish his stories. However, he is offered a job as the movie and theatre critic of the magazine, which he angrily refuses. He then finds the inspiration to finish Mastronardi's story and take it to the theatre. However, the play is a failure, and because of the effort he put in it, Jorge is heartbroken. Jorge then receives an emotional visit from Mastronardi's spirit, who asks him to look after his son, Sebastián.
In 1987, things have changed: Jorge has accepted the job offer as the movie and theatre critic, and Roberto is engaged to Marita, a friend of Laura's whom he met in a double date set by Jorge and Laura years before. Jorge is in a relationship with a new girl; however, he finds himself shocked when he receives news that Laura is to be married to her old boyfriend. This prompts Jorge to track Laura and, after spending a day together, they make love, and Laura then decides that she will get married anyway.
Once again, years go by, and in the 90s, a bitter and disillusioned Jorge, still works as a critic. However, due to his failures and disappointments, and to the loss of his spirit and morals, we learn that he now asks for money in return for writing favourable reviews. This works against him when Laura, one of the producers of the movie he asked money to write a favourable review for, personally delivers him the money, and looks at him with disgust.
One day at the office, due to a disagreement, veteran political journalist Márquez (Ulises Dumont
Ulises Dumont
Ulises Dumont was a prolific Argentine film actor, credited with over 80 appearances in film and countless others in theatre and television from 1964 until his death in 2008.-Life and work:...
) has a heated exchange with his boss, young Micky (Rodrigo de la Serna
Rodrigo de la Serna
Rodrigo de la Serna is an Argentine actor.In 2004, he won the Silver Condor for best actor and the Independent Spirit Award for "Best Debut Performance" for the film The Motorcycle Diaries, for which he earned a nomination for the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award...
) and is fired. This then prompts Sebastián, Mastronardi's son, to blame Jorge for his father's death. Unable to cope with guilt, and after realizing how much he has changed, Jorge attempts suicide. This attempt, however, is frustrated by Roberto, who arrives just in time to save him. After the suicide attempt, there is a surprise party, at which the employees of Cosas decide to donate one twelfth of their salaries to Márquez. Laura and Jorge meet once again, and share a long talk about their lives, hopes and crushed dreams.
The movie ends with a hint that Jorge and Laura will give their relationship one last chance. Jorge, reinvigorated, and looking like a happy man for the first time in years, watches her taxi depart with a broad smile. He is then greeted by his friends, Márquez, Sebastián and Roberto, and tells them of the new love story he is planning to write.
Cast
- Ricardo DarínRicardo DarínRicardo Darín is an Argentine actor, screenwriter and film director.Darín is one of the biggest movie stars in Argentina. He played a number of parts in TV series for several years where he became popular as a young leading actor...
as Jorge - Soledad VillamilSoledad VillamilSoledad Villamil is an Argentine film and television actress and singer.-Filmography :* El secreto de sus ojos The Secret in Their Eyes* No sos vos, soy yo It's Not You, It's Me...
as Laura - Ulises DumontUlises DumontUlises Dumont was a prolific Argentine film actor, credited with over 80 appearances in film and countless others in theatre and television from 1964 until his death in 2008.-Life and work:...
as Márquez - Eduardo BlancoEduardo Blanco (actor)Eduardo Blanco is an Argentine actor best known for his roles in the trilogy of films directed by Juan José Campanella, his friend and frequent collaborator: El Mismo Amor, la Misma Lluvia , El Hijo de la Novia and Luna de Avellaneda .- Biography :Blanco started as a theater actor, most notably...
as Roberto - Graciela Tenenbaum as Marita
- Alfonso De Grazia as Mastronardi
- Alicia Zanca as Sonia
- Mariana Richaudeau as Leticia
- Alejandro Buzzoni as Sebastián
- Rodrigo de la SernaRodrigo de la SernaRodrigo de la Serna is an Argentine actor.In 2004, he won the Silver Condor for best actor and the Independent Spirit Award for "Best Debut Performance" for the film The Motorcycle Diaries, for which he earned a nomination for the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award...
as Micky
Background
The film is the first of a trilogy that follows protagonist (Ricardo Darín) and his best friend (Eduardo Blanco) through a series of reevaluations regarding their lives. The films include: El hijo de la novia (2001) and Luna de Avellaneda (2004).Distribution
The film was wide released in Argentina on September 16, 1999.It was screened at various film festivals, including: the Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
; the Gramado Film Festival, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
; the Oslo Films from the South Festival, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
; the San Diego Latino Film Festival, San Diego, USA; and others.
Awards
Wins- Valladolid International Film Festival: Youth Jury Award Meeting Point Section, Juan José Campanella; 1999.
- Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor; Best Actor, Ricardo Darín; Best Actress, Soledad Villamil; Best Art Direction/Production Design, María Julia Bertotto; Best Cinematography, Daniel Shulman; Best Director, Juan José Campanella; Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, Juan José Campanella and Fernando Castets; Best Supporting Actor, Eduardo Blanco; 2000.
- Gramado Film Festival: Golden Kikito; Best Supporting Actor, Ulises Dumont; 2000.
- Oslo Films from the South Festival: Audience Award, Juan José Campanella; 2000.
Nominations
- Argentine Film Critics Association Awards: Silver Condor, Best Editing, Camilo Antolini; Best Music, Emilio Kauderer; Best New Actor, Eduardo Blanco; Best New Actress, Graciela Tenenbaum; Best Supporting Actor, Ulises Dumont; 2000.
- Gramado Film Festival: Golden Kikito, Best Film, Juan José Campanella; 2000.
- Moscow International Film Festival: Golden St. George, Juan José Campanella; 2000.
External links
- El mismo amor, la misma lluvia at the cinenacional.comCinenacional.comCinenacional.com is a web portal and web-based database about Argentine cinema.The site provides a vast array of information, including: films, television programs, directors, actors, cinematographers, film editors, production designers, and other production professions in Argentina...
- El mismo amor, la misma lluvia review at La Butaca by Tònia Pallejà
- El mismo amor, la misma lluvia review at Cieismo by Guillermo Ravaschino
- El mismo amor, la misma lluvia film trailer at You Tube