Fin de siècle

At first, End of the Century reminded me of Marco Berger's films with its minimalist and mundane style. But when the story gradually began to interweave the different time lines, I was suddenly faced with a somewhat more ambitious narrative project. I liked the premise and the main idea of the film about (un)conscious encounters between two people who are still drawn together across the years – a kind of (in)visible fate – but I had quite a mess at times in the transitions between the timelines. I do, however, commend the nice camera work and the grounded performances. End of the Century is quite possibly a film that needs at least two viewings to fully appreciate its layered plot. Maybe I'll give it another chance in the future and change my rating. (21/12/2020)

This outwardly realistic conversational drama/gay romance about a chance encounter of two foreigners is gradually “coloured” as a narratively ambitious story about the spiralling passage of time and people condemned to repeat the same mistakes in their relationships. Fin de siglo is a very well-balanced film that works at the “basic” walk-and-talk level thanks to its natural actors, unforced dialogue and consistent style of long, uninterrupted shots in authentic Barcelona locations. It is thought-provoking, compelling and open to various readings. 80% (05/12/2019)