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Sobrevivire (I Will Survive) is a simple movie, with a simple story, about a simple woman, that approaches greatness. And, maybe that is the genius of Spanish filmmakers. While filmmakers from so many other countries are creating bigger and showier movies, and even small independent films aspire to be large with multiple plot lines and convoluted camera shots and tricks, the Spanish churn out small films with interesting characters living everyday lives that leave me laughing and crying - in the case of this movie, both at the same time. Outside of Pedro Almodóvar, most film watchers are not aware of Spanish films, and only the truly serious film fans are familiar with Luis Buñuel or Salvador Dalí. This is a shame, some of the best films I have watched over the course of the last year have been little known comedies from Spain.

This film is the story of Marga, a girl who drifts through life with few friends and a dark outlook based on the fact that she believes that even her name is cursed. Until, she falls in love with Rolando. They create a perfect life, until he dies on the same day that she loses her job, never knowing that Marga is pregnant with his son. She plods on, taking a job making no money at a video store, supported by her roommate Rosa and her best friend Jose, and his boyfriend. But, as is pointed out late in the movie, she is the subject of envy of all who know her, “Marga la Perfecta”, because the stars smile upon her, even while she never notices. And while she is broke, single, and struggling, the stars do shine on her. Jose helps to care for her. Her parents and family love and support her (to an extent, the scenes at her families dinner table with the requisite arguing that accompanies multi-generational, half crazy family members are some of the funniest in the film). The woman she meets at a doctor’s appointment becomes her best friend, roommate, and co-parent, helping her emotionally and monetarily. The video store becomes hers.

That is not the story, though. The story is about her love affair with Iñaqui. Iñaqui comes into her life by chance, renting a movie from her video store. The first man she has met since the death of her boyfriend. No love story exists without a twist, and in this case the twist is that Iñaqui is gay and ten years younger than her. She is the only woman he has ever loved.

The movie isn’t necessarily interesting because of the love affair between a single mother and a younger gay man, it is interesting because Emma Suárez, who plays Magda, is remarkable, and the story is great and new. The movie begins by establishing Magda’s character, her leaving home to live with Jose, leaving for college, her first best female friend Trini. And I kept thinking that it felt - slow. Until Trini picks up Magda at the hospital after the accident, and Emma Suárez brought me to tears with a single look. She is a remarkable actress, reminiscent of Holly Hunter by her ability to portray weakness, strength, and humour with just a movement, a look, a gorgeous smile. At that point I was hooked. The movie is interesting because it is honest in telling the story of all love affairs, from the first uncomfortableness, to passion, to compassion, to jealousy, to evaluation. It is remarkable because there is nothing extraneous about this film; no wasted shots, no wasted words, and every prop, the music, and the jokes are placed exactly where they should be and recalled at just the right moments.

That is not to say that the relationship between Magda and Iñaqui is not without any of the complications that you would expect when an older woman with a child falls for a younger man, or when that man happens to be gay. These complications are not the crux of the film, though. The complications are meant to highlight what an amazing woman Magda is, how she survives everything that the universe throws in her path. Interestingly enough, much of what is thrown in her path that leads to turmoil is jealousy, and I don’t know if the filmmakers meant to dwell on the power of jealousy to change lives and drive relationships, but the message is there and it is interesting.

Besides the story itself, what makes this film so wonderful is the dialog and how it was shot. The first time Magda and Iñaqui have sex is hilarious, honest and touching. Not funny because it was awkward, silly, or unintentionally funny, but because it showed realistically how much fun sex can be when it is new, especially when a grown man is losing his virginity to a woman with years of pent up passion. The scene was hilarious because of its sweetness. In American film, sex tends to be rudely funny or slightly pornographic, but here, Alfonso Albacete and David Menkes show the sexual fantasies (both in times of lust and in times of jealousy) of the main characters in vignettes that serve no other purpose than to expand on the nuances of the characters, not as an excuse to show half-naked hot men. And, the sex scene between Magda and Iñaqui is remarkable because it takes place off camera with no nudity, and still works as a great sex scene.

While the movie is about Magda’s travails, it is one of the funniest and most touching movies I have seen in a long time. Two friends once created a movie rating scale called the “cryometer” to rate how many times I cried in a movie. The cryometer was off the scale in this film, and at first I thought it was because I am currently too heartbroken myself to watch a love story. Then, I realized that I was crying out of sadness, but also out of happiness, and of the knowingness of how it feels to be in love, and because the movie is just good – touching all the right points without trying to pull the heartstrings and relying on the strength of the script, story and cast. I have developed a second movie rating scale, which is the “Mu’ammar scale”. The Mu’ammar scale is based on if I can drive my cat into another room by laughing loudly. Yup. Mu’ammar spent the night in the bedroom. I had to turn on the subtitles because the movie was so hilarious and I was missing dialog through my laughter.

And, the music. Every song is perfect, the background music amazing, and the use of “Moon River” as the thematic song that ties together Magda and Iñaqui (and, is also used to show the weakness of their relationship) is perfect.

It has been a while since I have seen such a quotable film. I won’t spoil the film for any interested readers by writing them down, but will be entertaining anyone who will listen to me over the next week with the gems.

After I watched this, I googled the film and read some pretty bad reviews. Many thought it was a cinematic soap opera. Many had issues with the relationship between Magda and Iñaqui falling for each other the way that they did. Many felt the movie was too light and unsubstantial. I don’t agree. It is a simple film, not meant to be a statement on the fluidity of sexuality and attraction, but the story of two people who become friends and then lovers and how Magda finds herself and her strength from that relationship, nothing more. And, while this movie was written and directed by two filmmakers who have made other films that focus on the themes of sexuality and homosexuality, sex is not the core of this film, the film is about how a strong spirit like Magda can overcome the life she has been given - and survive.

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