User Reviews

contains spoilers... no matter how well done.. at times some of these films just stretch the credibility issue way too far... here we have a woman that's married to a guy she finds out really has feelings for her, but wants to have sex only with men.. (and she's been married to him for ten years !?) .. and she craves sex, so much so she sleeps with his brother a bunch of times, relishing every dalliance...getting into it hot and heavy, she then makes the decision to pack her bags and leave the gay husband for a torrid sex life with the hot brother in law... now it turns out in addition she's pregnant with the brother's kid (who BTW when finds out, immediately tells her in no uncertain terms to get an abortion).. the husband says irregardless who fathered it, he'll step up and play dad, as long as he can sleep with other men whenever he wants... now supposedly, this drop dead gorgeous, irresistible woman (can't take your eyes off her) is just going to remain content/ happy being a mom.. while the a-hole BIL is just going to remain out of sight for the remainder of the kid's life (his-kid!)... whoever dreamed up this bizarre fairytale had to be whacked out at the time on something seriously strong.. in no known universe is this EVER gonna pass believability !! ... the ultimate and most valid statement in the entire film... 'any man not craving to make love to this unbelievable woman every available minute of every day would have to be gay'..

SAw the trailer for this film on Apple Trailers and was intrigued as it hinted at being an emotionally charged film in the 'Closer' category of hard hitting relationship dramas, but upon seeing it was let down by what turned out to be a quite commercial venture with some very unlikely developments.

First of all the premise is potentially rife for intrigue but the script dictates that the brothers hate each other and that Gonzalo, the younger one, would like nothing more than punish his brother. Then we find that Zoe and Ignacio have a very stale, unadventurous relationship. Then we find that Gonzalo is a painter and lives a very liberated life and that Ignacio lives in a grey, concrete, house as square as his spectacles. With this premise it becomes too obvious and not difficult enough for the affair between wife and husband's brother to happen.

The first meetings between Zoe and Gonzalo are simple exposition scenes where all they talk about is how much they really would like to have sex, and then they do. There is no danger apart from the husband being his brother. What makes for a truly intriguing scenario is when the danger is emotional - i.e. if the brothers were great friends and got along really well but the irresistible nature of the eldest brother's wife makes it impossible for the younger brother to resist - and if the marriage is a happy one. That would be a great premise and make the emotional danger far greater. Have a look at Liv Ullman's 'Faithless' for a film full of emotional danger and high stakes.

Surely the point of casting a woman as indescribably beautiful and sexy as Barbara Mori is to make Zoe irresistible to anyone and for the passion of a union with this dream girl to reach unprecedented heights. Instead we are taken through some rather dispassionate scenes between Gonzalo and Zoe that we are told are great through conversations between Zoe and (surprise surprise, never seen this before) her gay friend Boris.

Film is a visual medium and there was little visual evidence of this affair being at all more than some sex. It is in this kind of context where I think more explicit sexual content is entirely necessary in order to give the viewer the feeling of being part of an adult world where adults do adult things - like have illicit, passionate sex. Because sex is central to theme there needs to be more of it. Well, not more, but more realistic, more intense. Take 'Unfaithful' with Diane Lane and Richard Gere. The scenes between Diane Lane and her lover are very steamy and sensual and sexy, some even violent - which makes the illicit nature of their affair real and dangerous. Or look at 'Closer' where we are not given the sex visually but the full explicit sexual escapades are exposed through the argument between Owen and Roberts which is equally hard hitting through its graphic language. The most explicit scene in this film was between Gonzalo and his girlfriend Laura(Gaby Espino), who I guess has a more relaxed nudity clause than Mori, but which here makes it seem like that is more passionate than the central affair.

Aside from the lack of sexual power, there were plot points and character behaviours that felt crow barred. The only back story we get is that Zoe and Ignacio want a child and can't and that Ignacio apparently molested his brother when they were young. These two things are meant to give the reasoning behind why Zoe allows herself to have an affair and why Gonzalo so happily betrays his brother. Then we find that Ignacio is homosexual - which is to explain his lack of passion for the gorgeous Zoe. Fine, these are all valid ideas but how they develop is very trite and unlikely. The point at which Gonzalo talks about his brother molesting him comes from nowhere and quickly vanishes. There is no indication before - apart from Gonzalo being a bit angry at his brother - and there are no consequences after - Zoe never finds out and we don't know if it is true - nothing. The fact that Ignacio is homosexual is hinted at and when admitted is followed by a bizarre solution: he says that he will stay with Zoe forever and be a father but that he will have to have men sometimes. She is his life long love but he likes men - meaning he wants to be with her asexually, which she then says is fine and voilà, everything is rosy. They just deal with it!? Gonzalo meanwhile suddenly cares nothing for Zoe, as if his boyhood fantasy of her is gone, through the revelation she is pregnant with his child. There is also a very odd, unresolved scene where the gay friend Boris says he is happy to father the child - which Zoe thinks sounds like a wonderful idea. All these scenes are very much uncharacteristic of normal human behaviour and feel like the scriptwriter having run out of ways of tying things up and resorting to quick fixes.

Having said all that it somehow manages to be watchable and fairly entertaining film. Probably down to it being rather nicely filmed and the acting being quite strong. For any red blooded male just watching Mori is a delight, and she is not bad as an actress either. I suppose I think it could have been so much more, much stronger with a darker more intense edge which is what I have gotten used to seeing from Latin and South American films. Instead I was given a rather simple, commercially structured film with some nice scenes that carried little weight.

"La Mujer de mi hermano" tells the story of a young woman's illicit sexual reawakening by her husband's brother. The film has an alluring taboo nature, and is a feast for the eyes due to beautiful cinematography as well as a very attractive cast, lead by the gorgeous Bárbara Mori.

The film takes many cues from Hollywood's best erotic thrillers (and "Unfaithful" specifically), as it interweaves suspense into the intimate moments as well as the interplay between characters. The film builds steadily with fine editing and a predictably unraveling plot to a truly disappointing finish that feels partially sappy and partially insulting.

I don't know what all the ravings about. If people think this is good, they should subscribe to Telemundo and watch their telenovelas, for this is surely no better. We call it soap. And some American soap has more lather. The plot is acceptable. The acting is OK, for a soap. But there is no depth. We have one brother who runs a business (which we never see). a haus frau who has little to do but talk with her gay confidant, another brother that paints sometime (we never know when) the gay confidant who does nothing but pine for one of the brothers and a mother, who has lunch, because she seems to be perpetually out to lunch. That's about all we know about these people, except when they run into each other. We know as much about the maid as we do most of them. Fine screenplay writing requires showing the characters in depth so we can appreciate their dilemmas, there challenges, their triumphs, their failures. Zoe- she likes flowers, she likes midnight swims, she likes sex but is on a Sat. night diet,( she suspects her husband is gay since he'd rather do almost anything instead of sex with her (not a bright bulb), she wants a child, she loves phallic paintings, she hates Bach, she's dangerous with a microwave. Ignacio- he says he loves his wife but seems to love men also, works a lot, is rich, loves Bach, hates moonlight swims, and as for sex, never on a Sunday... or Monday... or Tues... or Wed... or Thurs... or Friday... with a woman. Gonzalo- is a stud, is very selfish, was molested by his brother (and is still haunted by it), likes to paint phallic symbols, doesn't want to work in the rumored factory, doesn't want to get married but does want lots of sex. The mother...merely drops in for lunch and useless chatter. Wants a grandson. The Maid... knows how to make breakfast and keep her mouth shut. If one wants to make a good movie, he has to devote a lot of care to the craft. There was no depth to this. It was just slopped together.

A LOT OF SPOILERS HERE, SO BEWARE

There has been considerable fuss over this movie, and I'm not sure why. Rather than being 'shocking,' as some have called it, I found it pretty predictable, primarily because the characters are clichés that have been familiar figures in movies over the past 10 or 15 years.

'Mujer, etc.' is a Peruvian film that is really a stylish soap opera. We have the conflicted husband Ignacio (Christiane Meier) who can't conceive; the unhappy, confused and childless wife Zoe (Barbara Mori); and the husband's brother, a scruffy, ever-cool, always foul-mouthed Gonzalo (Manolo Cardona), who also just happens to be a talented artist (why are these people never accountants or claims adjusters?). Gonzalo wants to sexually possess the wife rather than love her, more out of revenge and hatred for his brother.

And then, to round up the usual clichéd suspects, we have the nonthreatening, flaming gay guy Boris (Bruno Bichir) who offers secret, breathless advice to Zoe while confessing, around deeply effeminate giggles, that he finds her husband 'very hot'. Zoe, for reasons that escape me, regularly and inexplicably seeks his counsel. This is some counsel: Boris says Zoe's husband must be gay because if he wasn't he would want to have sex with her every day (this is after 10 years of marriage). With advice like that I'd be looking for another nonthreatening, flaming gay guy.

It could be my imagination, but contemporary movies are littered with situations like this: the 'third-party' omniscient gay man who is sought out for advice by confused heterosexual women or men.

Director Ricardo de Montreuil tries to explain everything toward the end, and it becomes a pretty awkward 'wrapping up' ceremony. The husband confesses he 'likes men' (i.e. he's always been gay). The wife, who has slept with this guy for 10 whole years, appears to be shocked by his confession. Credibility anyone?

The nonthreatening gay guy offers to adopt the wife's baby as his own (and how many times have we seen this scenario?). The wife is content with a child donated by sperm from the rotten brother, who has exacted his revenge on his brother and wants nothing more to do with the wife. The husband carries on, living a gay lifestyle while he continues to live, and sleep, with his wife in an agreement that includes a 'fully loving' relationship. Egads. As if.

This director wants us to suspend a whole lot of disbelief in this film, and it just doesn't work, at least for me.

A few days ago, I went to the theater to watch this movie that somehow got my attention.

This movies focuses on the story of Zoe (Mori). A woman whose marriage is in constant conflict. Her husband Ignacio (Meier) inheritor of the family business, and Gonzalo (Cardona) Ingnacio's younger brother who gives his life to painting, but makes a living thanks to his brother and strangely always shows hatred towards him. With all these background, it isn't hard to presume where the story is leading to.

As the story goes on, more background details explains why every character acts the way they do, and how a triangle of betrayal and disloyalties is taking part in the plot.

Acting: I think Cardona (Gonzalo) though not outstanding, is the only one who achieves a little touch of truthfulness to his character, showing himself as someone careless and incapable of commitment. Meier (Ignacio), He got his moments of clarity, but not enough to convince with his character. Mori (Zoe), I must say that it's the first time I see her acting, and to be honest, I think that she never managed Zoe, being absolutely lacking of the emotiveness required by her character. It's supposed that Zoe is a woman full of inner conflicts as a result of the relationship with her husband. Though, she never get to make the audience feel any empathy. I should say that being a beautiful woman is never enough.

Plot: It always kept predictable, that's why I expected any surprise near the end, but it never happened. Sometimes it might bores you or find that something doesn't fit.

Directing: Not outstanding, it has some highlights. For instance, the manage of close-up within conversations between character, where you can see that everything blurs but the faces.

Soundtrack: Apparently doesn't have one, you just can hear the song "Mentiras" from the Chilean band "La Ley"

In summary, I wouldn't recommend it. But if you want to give it a try, do it at your own risk.

LA MUJER DE MI HERMANO is a bad movie that manages, through stylish visuals, neat transitions, lush electronica used as mood music, and a deliberate plot pacing, to look better than it is. Story-wise, it would have been better off set anywhere between the Fifties, because technically it's akin to the much better FAR FROM HEAVEN in melodrama, or even when this type of movies came into vogue during the period going from the late Seventies into the early Nineties. How and why it's situated in the present, and even more so, that its story got through the datedness that bogs it down is a mystery, but then again, Latin America is still in a mire of its own ultra-conservative values -- men are supposed to be macho; women who take charge of their own life are seen as little more than "zorras" in heat, and everything happens in a very hush-hush way. So for a Latin American public, the premise of LA MUJER DE MI HERMANO may work perfectly; on the other hand, it falls into an ugly "Splat!" of epic proportions on this side of the Rio Grande.

Much of it has nothing to do with its denouement, which to a degree may even then be somewhat forgivable. Its failing, and Achilles heel, is based squarely in the trite language -- both on a visual and written level -- that tries to tell an intelligent story but has nothing to hold on to. For example, we're told that Ignacio and Zoe have been married for ten years, and that's okay. What is not, and where the story's implausibilities begin to show, is that in those ten years, they've fallen into a predictability where Ignacio can only have sex on Saturdays and prefers business traveling than being with Zoe. Ten years is a long, long time for Zoe not to notice the 500 pound elephant sitting placidly in her sleek, minimalistic and uber-contemporary living room. Maybe it's those twenty grapes she has a penchant for. Then again, Dorothy Parker wrote a story called "Too Bad", where a married couple of seven years suddenly separated. No one knew why, but once we went inside the marriage, we saw that these two had absolutely nothing in common, not even enough for small talk. We never find out their mechanics, but it's still a pretty funny story.

This, however, is a story that takes itself seriously. Adding to the fact that Ignacio and Zoe have strange marital arrangements is the presence of Ignacio's studly brother Gonzalo. Gonzalo and Ignacio are estranged as presented in exclamation points early on at a family lunch. Zoe, do-gooder that she is, contacts Gonzalo and tries to make amends. He sells her a painting, and Ignacio hits the ceiling. Fifteen minutes are spent mulling and arguing over this painting as if it had some symbolic meaning. No sooner than this happens that Zoe is confiding deep secrets to Gonzalo as if she'd known him all her life, and a phone conversation implausibly makes its way to Ignacio's ears, but all he can do is throw the darned painting into the pool and seethe. More unremarkable events take place: Zoe also confides in who we're led to believe is her best friend, Boris, a stereotypical nellie. Conversations between Zoe and Boris are built to make us understand more will come out of their friendship, but that doesn't happen. The same can be said when Zoe makes Gonzalo prove to her he hasn't had sex with other women, or when in a repeat scene, she makes Ignacio promise her he hasn't had sex with men. It's all tease and fake promise.

So with all this teasing going on, it's not a surprise as to why LA MUJER DE MI HERMANO looks good, but is quite bad. It begins with the misnomer of its title which would have Gonzalo the main narrator of the story, and ends by its sheer quaintness that never decides where it wants to take its characters and leaves them muddled in its telenovela roots. At least for a debut film from Ricardo de Montreuil, it's not a flat-out failure. It sells glossy images, attractive leads that would be at home in daytime soap, the presence of a veteran actress (Angelica Aragon), and that's all there is to it.

Other reviewers said it. Well filmed but, at heart, this is no more than a telenovela. About as detached from the real world and as implausible. Child abuse, homosexuality, abortion, adultery - the film glides through it all, hardly making a wave. Zoe is pregnant but the father does not want to hear about it? No problem, her gay friend conveniently offers to be the father. Oh, that's settled, then.

The actors are OK, no more. Mori is beautiful, very beautiful but one single facial emotion carries her throughout the film. To be fair, none of the actors has much of a character to work off. The gay friend is as cliché as if taken right from the Birdcage, but with no appearance of this being meant to be funny.

The writer could also have paid more attention to details. The baby is called Juan Ignacio in the email sent to Gonzalo but his grandmother calls him Jose Ignacio in the following scene. Ignacio asks for Zoe Edwards at the hotel reception. They obviously know her by that name but the groom calls her Mrs. Berkley 5mn later.

It's about time that a Spanish film has made it to my local Loews (now AMC) movie theater. The quality of the movie was excellent. From the title we immediately know it's a love affair between a man, his wife, and his brother. Can you think of a better way to introduce drama? The previous commenter is 100% correct; you're on the edge of your seat wondering...omg what's going on? Is this really happening? No way!!! The plot keeps you going and wondering where is this leading us; what are they going to to; how can you possible resolve a situation like this?!

The actors were all very beautiful people in their own respect and were immensely talented. They made me feel so warm with emotion and you were able to connect with them on a much higher level. It's normally very difficult for me to connect with characters but these people really made you feel their emotions. I absolutely love the fact that this movie was released in the US. Like I said...it's about time.

You're absolutely going to enjoy this film. I can guarantee that it's better than 75% of the movies Hollywood released in the past 3 years. Don't ask me how I came up with that figure; I'm just that confident of this film.

The overwhelming preponderance of American critics have incorrectly translated the title of "La Mujer de mi Hermano" as "My Brother's Wife." Indeed, even prestigious film critic Roger Ebert went so far as to suggest that the film should be retitled "My Husband's Brother" since the story was told from the wife's perspective.

Frankly, these critics missed the point: The correct translation is "My Brother's Woman," a deliberate reference to the heroine's ambivalence as the center of a romantic triangle between two brothers. In other words, with which brother does she really belong? The Spanish title is so right for its story.

Most critics also missed the point that within macho Latin culture, the hot-headed husband Ignacio might well have put his two-timing wife Zoe and cuckolding brother Gonzalo six feet under and, sub-textually, that's precisely where the story seemed to be speeding like an out-of-control freight train. Instead, surprisingly, Ignacio embraces his wife, forgives his brother and accepts his nephew as his own child. Yes, and his adulterous wife -- his brother's woman -- forgives his periodic bisexual dalliances. As Zoe says, it's only fair.

In the south-of-the-border world of predominately Catholic conservatism, this film provides a rare glimpse at social tolerance and interpersonal redemption. And though built on the chassis of a melodramatic telenovela, the societal resonance of its themes uplift the richness of the story to somewhere between "Unfaithful" and "Little Children." Beautifully photographed, beautifully acted and beautifully directed, this film has been woefully underrated by America's politically correct and culturally insensitive critical community. Do not be fooled.

"La Mujer de mi Hermano" is a very good film.

This movie was made in Chili by a Pueruvian director & stars actors from Mexico.

It is similar to many Hollywood romantic dramas of the past, BUT the story line is no longer the simplistic dramas of yesterday,.

Here we have a beautiful woman, a handsome husband who does love his wife, but only wants sex on a Saturday. We do not find out why & what his problem is till toward the end of film. His brother is a hunky artist & Oh yes dear reader, he has an affair with his brothers wife.

The sex scenes are good but not overly explicit,

The acting by all concerned is very good & the settings are excellent,

I will hazard a guess that members of the fair sex will enjoy this film even more than I. My ratings are based on mainly the excellent acting and fine production values, more than the plot & story.

Ratings *** (out of 4) 87 points (out of 100) IMDb 8 (out of 10)