Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed was directed by the acclaimed Spanish director David Trueba and was initially released in Spain in 2013. Set during the Franco regime, the film follows Antonio, played by Javier Cámera, who is a high school teacher and a big fan of The Beatles, specifically John Lennon. The teacher uses the band's songs to teach English to his students. Every night, he listens to the radio and copies down the lyrics, however, he often misses or does not understand a word. When Antonio learns that John Lennon is filming a movie in southern Spain, he decides to drive down and try to meet with the star so that Lennon can fill in his notes. On his journey, he picks up two young hitchhikers who have run away from abusive and unpleasant situations. Belén, played by Natalia de Molina, is a pregnant young woman who ran away from a nunnery, where she was sent to by her mother. Juanjo, played by Francesc Colomer, is a teenager who has escaped from his home following an argument with his abusive father. The trio make their way to a small town, where Juanjo acquires a job at a local restaurant while Antonio and Belén attempt to meet Lennon.
The movie is filled with humor and lightheartedness, however, there are also some darker undertones that show what it was like living under the dictator Francisco Franco. At the beginning of the film, the effects of the dictatorship can be seen through the abusive teachers at Antonio's school. It can also be seen through the treatment of Belén and Juanjo by their parents. Belén is sent away by her mother because she does not want the neighbors to gossip about the young woman's pregnancy. Juanjo is abused by his father for having long hair, showing that those who are different were often made to feel inadequate. Juanjo is later beat up by some bullies in Almeria due to his appearance. After this altercation, the teenager cuts his hair in order to fit in with what society expects of him. The film effectively demonstrates what it was like to be an outcast during Franco's regime.
This film was shot beautifully and does a good job showing the amazing scenery in southern Spain. All of the actors fit their role very well and it is easy to connect to the characters. At the beginning, the movie has a slower pace in order to introduce and develop the characters. However, the action soon picks up when the trio reaches their destination. What makes this movie even more intriguing is the fact that the story is based on real events. Juan Carrión Ganan was an English teacher who used the Beatles' lyrics to teach his students. He travelled to southern Spain where he met with Lennon and, after this reunion, the Beatles began to include copies of the written-out lyrics with all of their following albums. I really enjoyed this movie and thought it did a wonderful job of portraying the stories of three underdogs in a strict society. Although the slow beginning can be a turn off at first, the second half of the movie makes up for it. The movie leaves you wondering what is next for the characters and creates a lasting impact on the viewers, I highly recommend it.
The movie is filled with humor and lightheartedness, however, there are also some darker undertones that show what it was like living under the dictator Francisco Franco. At the beginning of the film, the effects of the dictatorship can be seen through the abusive teachers at Antonio's school. It can also be seen through the treatment of Belén and Juanjo by their parents. Belén is sent away by her mother because she does not want the neighbors to gossip about the young woman's pregnancy. Juanjo is abused by his father for having long hair, showing that those who are different were often made to feel inadequate. Juanjo is later beat up by some bullies in Almeria due to his appearance. After this altercation, the teenager cuts his hair in order to fit in with what society expects of him. The film effectively demonstrates what it was like to be an outcast during Franco's regime.
This film was shot beautifully and does a good job showing the amazing scenery in southern Spain. All of the actors fit their role very well and it is easy to connect to the characters. At the beginning, the movie has a slower pace in order to introduce and develop the characters. However, the action soon picks up when the trio reaches their destination. What makes this movie even more intriguing is the fact that the story is based on real events. Juan Carrión Ganan was an English teacher who used the Beatles' lyrics to teach his students. He travelled to southern Spain where he met with Lennon and, after this reunion, the Beatles began to include copies of the written-out lyrics with all of their following albums. I really enjoyed this movie and thought it did a wonderful job of portraying the stories of three underdogs in a strict society. Although the slow beginning can be a turn off at first, the second half of the movie makes up for it. The movie leaves you wondering what is next for the characters and creates a lasting impact on the viewers, I highly recommend it.