Four's a Crowd (2022 film) explained

Native Name:
Nolink:y
Director:Álex de la Iglesia
Music:Roque Baños
Cinematography:Rita Noriega
Editing:Domingo González
Distributor:Sony Pictures Entertainment Iberia
Runtime:99 minutes
Country:Spain
Language:Spanish
Gross:4.3 million

Four's a Crowd[1] (Spanish; Castilian: '''El cuarto pasajero'''|links=no)[2] is a 2022 Spanish road romantic comedy film directed by Álex de la Iglesia, starring Alberto San Juan, Blanca Suárez, Ernesto Alterio and Rubén Cortada.

Plot

In the wake of using a car-sharing mobile app to cope with his economic problems, Julián, a divorced man, meets Lorena, whom he begins to travel with to Madrid on a regular basis in his Volvo XC60, falling romantically for her. He is about to open up his feelings in one of those travels, but the situation takes an unexpected turn because of the selection of the rest of passengers.[3] [4] [5]

Production

Jorge Guerricaechevarría took over co-writing duties alongside director Álex de la Iglesia.[6] was charged with the direction of photography.[7] The film is a Telecinco Cinema, Pokeepsie Films and Te Has Venido Arriba AIE production and it had the participation of Mediaset España, Movistar+ and Mediterráneo Mediaset España Group.[8] Filming began on 25 January 2021. Shooting locations included Bilbao (marking De la Iglesia's film return to his native city after his feature debut Acción mutante),[9] Álava, La Rioja,[10] and Madrid. The production was temporarily halted due to a COVID-19 positive test.[11]

Release

Distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment Iberia S.L.U., the film was set for a 4 November 2022 theatrical release date in Spain,[12] then rescheduled to 28 October.[13] It was the largest opening of the weekend (and it made the second-largest grossing overall after Black Adam).[14] It had an in-year gross of €4.3 million.[15]

Reception

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas rated the film with 78 points ("good"), deeming it to be a "funny, surprising and at times even delirious" comedy, as well as an "anti-buddy movie that makes you laugh", highlighting the character design, the plot twists and the full commitment to their roles on the part of the two "immense" San Juan and Alterio as the best things about the film, while citing certain "trite" elements pertaining the romantic comedy subplot as a negative point.[16]

Fausto Fernández of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars highlighting the duel held between San Juan and Alterio, "worthy of The Hitcher... or Planes, Trains and Automobiles" as the film's standout.[17]

Miguel Ángel Romero of Cinemanía rated the film 2 out of 5 stars deeming it to be an "endless and fun trip in BlaBlaCar, [yet] too trite".[18]

Sergi Sánchez of La Razón rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, highlighting the reformulation of the romcom genre under a road movie structure (which manages to "work and entertain") as the best thing about the film, while dismissing the fiction taking place in a hotel, slowing down the pace, as the worst thing about it.[19]

Accolades

|-| rowspan = "2" align = "center" | 2023 || rowspan = "1" | 10th Feroz Awards || colspan = "2" | Best Comedy Film || || rowspan = "1" | [20] |-| 78th CEC Medals || Best Music || Roque Baños || || align = "center" | [21] [22] |}

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alex de la Iglesia's 'Four's a Crowd' Pounced On by Filmax (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. 19 May 2022. John. Hopewell.
  2. Web site: Álex de la Iglesia Gets 'Perfect Strangers' Band Back Together For 'El cuarto pasajero' – Global Bulletin. 29 January 2021. Jamie. Lang. Variety.
  3. Web site: El Volvo XC60, actor de 'El Cuarto Pasajero', la nueva 'road movie' de Álex de la Iglesia. El Español. 22 October 2022.
  4. Web site: Cineuropa. Álex de la Iglesia comparte coche con El cuarto pasajero. 1 February 2021. Alfonso. Rivera.
  5. Web site: Alex de la Iglesia arranca el rodaje de 'El cuarto pasajero'. Fotogramas. Juan. Silvestre. 29 January 2021.
  6. Web site: El cuarto pasajero. 1 February 2021.
  7. Web site: Álex de la Iglesia y Rita Noriega comienzan el rodaje de "El cuarto pasajero". Camera and Light Mag. 29 January 2021.
  8. Web site: Spanish 'Perfect Strangers' Team Reunite For Road Movie 'El Cuarto Pasajero'. Deadline Hollywood. 29 January 2021. Tom. Granger.
  9. Web site: El rodaje de "El Cuarto pasajero' de Álex de la Iglesia continúa en Bilbao. Deia. S.. Atutxa. A. Araluzea. Borja. Guerrero. 28 January 2021.
  10. Web site: Los sancionados por la fiesta en un hotel de Logroño forman parte del equipo de rodaje de Álex de la Iglesia. La Rioja. Luis J.. Ruiz. 26 March 2021.
  11. Web site: El rodaje de la nueva película de Álex de la Iglesia, en cuarentena por un caso de Covid-19. El Español. 9 February 2021.
  12. Web site: 'El cuarto pasajero', de Álex de la Iglesia, se estrena el 4 de noviembre. Cine con Ñ. 18 February 2022.
  13. Web site: https://www.20minutos.es/cinemania/noticias/primeras-imagenes-de-blablacar-la-nueva-comedia-de-alex-de-la-iglesia-5001160/. Cinemanía. }
  14. Web site: 'El cuarto pasajero' de Álex de la Iglesia debuta sin superar a 'Black Adam' en taquilla. Cinemanía. 31 October 2022. Carles. Rull. 20minutos.es.
  15. Web site: Una recuperación más lenta de lo esperado en 2022. Audiovisual451. 7 February 2023.
  16. Web site: Crítica de El cuarto pasajero: vuelve un Álex de la Iglesia desternillante con un par de maletas de mala leche. HobbyConsolas. 19 October 2022. Raquel. Hernández Luján.
  17. Web site: Fotogramas. Crítica de 'El cuarto pasajero': un nuevo viaje de Álex de la Iglesia. 28 October 2022. Fausto. Fernández.
  18. Web site: Cinemanía. 20minutos.es. 24 October 2022. Miguel Ángel. Romero. Crítica de 'El cuarto pasajero'.
  19. Web site: La Razón. Crítica de "El cuarto pasajero": el triunfo de la anarquía ★★★☆☆. Sergi. Sánchez. 28 October 2022 .
  20. Web site: Premios Feroz 2023 Palmarés completo: empatan 'As bestas' y 'Cinco lobitos' en cine y 'La ruta' y 'No me gusta conducir' en series. Cinemanía. 20minutos.es. 29 January 2023.
  21. Web site: 'As bestas' y 'Cinco lobitos', las más nominadas a las Medallas CEC. Cine con Ñ. 15 December 2022.
  22. Web site: 'As Bestas', participada por RTVE, triunfa en los premios CEC con 9 medallas. rtve.es. 7 February 2023.