‘Lo Mejor de Eva’ has interesting characters, but no plot

Mariano Barroso’s Lo Mejor de Eva, also known as Dark Impulse, is a fairly forgettable romantic thriller from Spain. It takes itself too seriously, features little to no plot and fails to stir the emotions. The saving grace comes from the two main actors: Leonor Watling as the title character and Miguel Ángel Silvestre as her love interest, Rocco.

Eva is a hard-working judge who has dedicated herself to her profession. Rather than coming off as a strong, independent woman, the character is written as a humorless, almost depressed woman searching for something deeper in life. Her new case, involving the murder of a stripper, brings her into the world of Rocco, a gigolo who knew the victim and tries to help Eva with the case. At first, this proper and professional woman is disgusted by Rocco and his nighttime trade (yes, this judge judges a book by its cover); however, her hard exterior begins to crumble, and the two find they have more in common that they first thought.

Barroso, who directed and co-wrote the feature, is able to keep the pacing tight and the characterization interesting. Although Eva is brushed over in broad, stereotypical strokes, Watling is able to bring some much-needed skill to the portrayal. Similarly, the Rocco character is interesting and mysterious, and it’s not hard to believe that they would fall for each other. Kudos to both actors for making the stifled, sparse script sing with life well beyond its means. They exude sexuality and offer believable conversations.

The problem comes with the plot, or rather the lack thereof. Barroso is not terribly interested in the court case at hand or the aftermath. He takes note of the difficult repercussions that Eva faces when trying to find the true answers, but he sidesteps most of the story and focuses too much on the romantic entanglement of his two stars. Both Eva and Rocco would have been better served if they had something to do; instead, we need to watch them talk and fight and fall in love, and start over. Without a plot, the two are caught in an inevitable cinematic process, and it’s easy to figure out how their stories will end.

Lo Mejor de Eva does achieve a certain atmospheric quality. At times, the narrative feels Hitchcockian, a term thrown around too much, but it seems to fit for at least sporadic parts of the film. Hitchcock often coupled romance and suspense, letting the two genres feed each other with awesome, reliable conventions. Barroso’s film flirts with the Hitchcock influences, but it’s better likened to a weak Fatal Attraction or a humorless Pretty Woman. Thank goodness for the well-chosen actors.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Lo Mejor de Eva

• 2012

• Directed by Mariano Barroso

• Written by Barroso, Alejandro Hernández and Silvia Pérez de Pablos

• Starring Leonor Watling and Miguel Ángel Silvestre

• Running time: 95 minutes

• Rating: