Barcelona 77

A decent prison drama based on real events from the director of the lauded Marshland. The casting is also interesting. Javier Gutiérrez is a big star, and we all know Miguel Herrán as Rio from Money Heist (you could say this is an unofficial spin-off of Money Heist, what would it look like if Rio had stayed behind bars). The film is set in post-dictatorship Spain in the 70s, when prisons had harsh conditions and prisoners didn't have many rights, the guards just did whatever they wanted and the prisoners tried to get amnesty. The whole film takes place in one prison and since I have a soft spot for prison themes, it definitely caught my attention immediately. There are interesting rules and well written characters, occasionally someone gets killed or beaten up, but this is not about murder and fighting (although there is a minor riot). There are grittier prison-themed films, but this one has heart, great characters, and an unusual Spanish setting. It's simply a quality affair that has everything a viewer would expect from a genre film like this. 75% (23.06.2023)