This week, a comedy based on an Argentinian film of the same title is appearing: A boyfriend for my wife. It is a new approach to the genre by Laura Mana which debuted in 2000 with compassionate sex and explored it in other films such as Die in San Hilario, life begins today or most recent I love you, asshole.
The first thing to highlight is the bicephaly of Mañá’s filmography, which shows a strong commitment to his television films and dramas such as Chained words, Neither God, nor fatherland, nor husband or again the biopics centered on Clara Campoamor, Concepción Arenal and Federica Montseny in contrast to much lighter works, like the one we are dealing with today and with a purely commercial aspiration.
A boyfriend for my wife would fit in the bag of recent Argentinian film remakes which makes us wonder if Spanish comedy is going through a bad patch, given that it keeps exploring stories already told instead of looking for new ones.
Review of A friend for my wife, the new comedy by Laura Mañá
Anyway, thanks to a great success at the box officewas one of the most successful Argentinian films to position itself when it came to selling its remake rights abroad, with two adaptations already released: the South Korean version all about my wife of 2013 and the Italian A boyfriend for my wife which was established in 2014.
Additionally, Hollywood has been trying for some time to make its own adaptation of the film, which has also sold its rights in Mexico, Chile, and China. All this flow of information aims to make it clear that the message it sends A boyfriend for my wife not only is it universal but it meets what is needed to be very exportable and squeeze your comic side into any corner of the globe.
After all, it’s about unraveling human relationshipseven if it is for humor and above all, reflect on what fulfills us, makes us happy and allows us to face life with joy. No one wants a boring, sad person by their side, but we also all have the right to go through potholes and reinvent ourselves.
In short, the film begins by painting the portrait of a couple in crisis: Diego contemplates how his wife Lucía constantly lives in the greatest of negativities. He seems to have lost the filter: everything seems fake to him and he has no shame in showing it whenever he has the chance. On the other hand, she has stopped taking care of her and her husband no longer finds her attractive.
Tired of her complaints, he seeks support to move forward and receives a curious piece of advice from his friend Carlos: since he can’t tell her clearly, maybe he can tempt her by turning to an old-school seducer, Cuervo Flores, who for a small fee can make her fall in love and lead her to leave him.
In this way, she was the one who would end the marriage and free Diego: everyone was happy. Or not. Because following this meeting and some changes in her work environment, Lucía will regain her radiance, the illusion of living and the desire to be happy without completely giving up her way of being… so Diego made the same an irremediable error.
A boyfriend for my wife – Image gallery (4 pictures)
If there’s anything that stands out in the film, it’s the casting, very fitting.: Diego Martín is suitable for the role of the pusillanimous husband, Joaquín Reyes for the role of the “healthy” friend, and Hugo Silva for the role of the wild and somewhat careless seducer. But who really steals the show is the protagonist: Belen Cuesta.
The actress has already shown on many occasions that she has a magnificent comic eye, but she also knows how to choose different roles in which she explores different registers: her role in Paquita Salas with the of money theft (with darker humour) or that of Advantages of traveling by train, Until marriage do us part oh Sentimentalto stay with some recent work.
Moreover, it is the evolution of her character that animates the whole story and shows in a very convincing way all this spectrum of emotions that are triggered in her and the current that is created around her.
It seems pretty clear that the story of Pablo Solarz has the ability to shape itself in different ways, but always with a common denominator: fresh humor and some lessons about our relationships with others and with ourselves. Sensitivities to approach the subject may be disparate, but the plot has a soul.