This is a rip roaring very original film from Spanish film maker Paco Cabezas (yes it has subtitles), who has made a full length version of his film short of the same name from 2005. It is about Ricky (Mario Casas), he is a street hustler whose mother is doing time having been done for soliciting sex. He has been selling recreational narcotics for some years and has saved up enough money to go sort of legit.
His idea of legit is to open a whore house where his mum is the Madame, she has always wanted one and also positive that it has to be called `Hiroshima'. In order to make this a reality he enlists the help of uber pimp Angelito (Vincente Romero), he runs some ladies including toothless drug addict Scag. He also has a minder who is intellectually challenged in the shape of `The Kid' El Niño played with aplomb by Luciano Caceres. They form an unlikely bunch and there is also transvestite La Infantita (Domaso Conde) who is saving up for a sex change operation so that he/ she can do porn and thereby become a film star and enter the world of red carpets and Oscars - got to live the dream.
Only fly in the ointment is that local crime boss and all round bad guy Chino (Dario Grandinetti) controls all illegal activity on his turf. In the meantime Ricky's mum has been let out of prison - Yaay! But she has the onset stages of Alzheimer's - Booo! And she has no idea who he is, so all his efforts seem to have been in vain - or have they?
What happens next has a plot that is both viciously violent, life affirming funny and tear enticingly heartbreaking. We have illegal trade in migrants, filthy shenanigans, corrupt cops, dog reunions and kidnap.
I was hooked on this from start to finish, some critics have said it was a simple plot, I thought it was simple but the other stories woven into it made this a truly marvellous film, I actually rented this but have now ordered a copy as I loved it so much. It does not have any extras as such, but it is so good it really don't need them and runs for a stonking 109 minutes. If you like your films a bit different and European cinema that is proud to be so, then you ought to get a great big kick out of this - ruddy brilliant.
