El Crimen Perfecto (The Perfect Crime)

I found it very funny, but it is the kind of film that is not trying to be lovable so much as slightly uncomfortable while making you laugh. It has that very specific Álex de la Iglesia tone: characters pushed to extremes, situations that become more and more absurd, and the constant feeling that everything is one step away from exploding.What I liked most is the way it turns something as ordinary as a department store into a kind of grotesque jungle. Everything is exaggerated, of course, but it works because the film never tries to hide it. It goes all in with its black humor, its nastiness, and that rather cruel at ambition, appearance, and mediocrity.Guillermo Toledo is very good in the role of a man who is absurdly pleased with himself, ridiculous and pathetic at the same time. And Mónica Cervera, for me, steals the whole film. Her character is uncomfortable, excessive, and deeply sad all at once, and that is exactly why she leaves such a strong impression.I also really like the pace. The film rushes forward almost without letting you breathe, and Álex de la Iglesia knows how to move the camera, the bodies, and the space with an energy that makes everything feel controlled even when it becomes more and more outrageous. That is where his touch is most obvious.I do think there are moments when it goes a bit too far, as often happens with him, and not everything is at exactly the same level. But even when he pushes too hard, there is still a very clear personality behind it. This is not just any comedy, and it has no interest in being one.Overall, I think it is a very good black comedy: very funny, pretty twisted, and driven by a powerful visual and narrative style. It is not subtle, of course, but it does not need to be. Once it embraces its madness, it works very well.