Today, it will be about a Spanish film, but not any film that has just premiered (and not because nothing of Spanish production is currently entering Polish cinemas). It’s going to be about a film from 2017, because I think it’s worth talking about productions (whether literary, cinematic or theatrical) that were made a few (or a dozen or a few decades) ago, but we can still find a present or an inspiration in them.
Let’s look into the film „Toc, toc”, directed by Vincente Villanueva. I mentioned this film in the context of „Under therapy”. – Both films are linked by the person of Alexandra Jiménez (in „”Toc, toc” she plays the role of Blanca, a laboratory worker who has been escaping from germs all her life – and it is a very tiring run..). In addition, what both films have in common is unexpected group therapy and a surprising, imaginative ending.
But let’s return to the film that is the protagonist of this text. „Toc, toc” is a story about people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. The film is full of humorous situations, but to classify it as a comedy is a huge mistake. Tragicomedy is definitely the right term. Don’t believe it?
What’s so funny when, like the aforementioned Blanca, you run to the bathroom to wash your hands thoroughly every time you touch something?
Ana María (played by the wonderful Rossy de Palma, better known for starring in Pedro Almodóvar’s films) will not leave the house without checking several times whether she has turned off the gas or the water tap, the light or the candle, and tightly closed the box of cookies. On top of this, her religiosity makes her cross herself very often, which annoys those around her.
Emilio (Paco León) is a taxi driver who has special place for numbers in his his heart, and his brain is constantly working at top speed all around adding, dividing or multiplying. On the one hand, a genius with a computer instead of a brain, on the other, a victim of his „talents”.
The next protagonist of „Toc, toc” is Otto (played by Adrián Lastra) – remember to pronounce the double ‘t’ accurately, as symmetry is very important to him. Its absence in life is the cause of his anxiety. And do you remember when, as a child, you tried not to step on the line when you walked down the pavement? Well, Otto continues to do so, in adulthood….
There’s two more protagonists left. Lili (Nuria Herrero) is a fitness instructor whose OCD is … repeating the last words she says. This may have a positive side, because as an aerobics instructor she was considered the most effective – so many repetitions of a given exercise must have giveb results! Until one participant couldn’t stand the pace of Lila’s repetitive instructions and the doctors had to intervene….
And finally, Oscar Martínez brilliantly playing the role of Federico, who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome. In his case, this manifests itself in uncontrollable frequent swearing, regardless of the place or situation he is in.
You have to admit that this brief description of what the characters in Vincente Villanueva’s film have to deal with on a daily basis confirms that this is not a „light and pleasant comedy” (although I have read such opinions about this film – I can only congratulate the author on his sense of humour).
The beginning of the film is also a description of the entire plot – patients arrive at the office of a famous psychiatrist, Dr Palomero, for their scheduled appointment. The situation becomes strange when it turns out that all six have an appointment for … the same hour! And none of them had signed up for group therapy after all! Tiffany – the doctor’s secretary (played by Inma Cuevas, who is just as convincing as the rest of the characters) – tries to explain the situation (those IT people, and planes with delays that can’t deliver the doctor on time….( The patients, while waiting for the doctor, start talking to each other, which has in some cases very unexpected consequences…. : ) I won’t give away more details – you’ll have to see for yourselves with your eyes and ears! What I will say is that once again I was able to see how Spanish cinema can be clever about human behaviour and, despite many humorous scenes, leave us, the audience, with a reflection…. And at the end of the film there appeared for a moment eg. Verónica Forqué and Marta Hazas – part two of „Toc, toc” with them would certainly be interesting as well….