Gaudi Afternoon (2001)
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29% of critics liked it
(17 reviews) -
38% of users liked it
(319 ratings)
An American abroad finds herself falling in with an eccentric group of fellow expatriates in Spain in this comedy. Cassandra (Judy Davis) is a nomadic American who finds herself stranded in Spain, where she's found temporary work translating books into English. However, Cassandra's limited… More An American abroad finds herself falling in with an eccentric group of fellow expatriates in Spain in this comedy. Cassandra (Judy Davis) is a nomadic American who finds herself stranded in Spain, where she's found temporary work translating books into English. However, Cassandra's limited translating skills are not bringing home the bacon, so when she encounters a strange woman named Frankie (Marcia Gay Harden), she's willing to help her find a missing friend for a price. Cassandra soon discovers Frankie isn't a strange woman after all -- she's a man living as a woman in preparation for a future sex change operation. It seems Frankie's significant other, a seriously butch lesbian named Ben (Lili Taylor), has walked out on her and taken their daughter Delilah (Courtney Jines) with her; Frankie wants Cassandra to help her find the two of them. As it turns out, Ben has moved on to new pastures, becoming involved with April (Juliette Lewis), a head-in-the-clouds bohemian, and with the help of wealthy art patron and part-time magician Hamilton Kincaid (Christopher Bowen), Ben, April, and Delilah are happily squatting in a spare wing at La Pedrera, Spain's best-known gallery. As Cassandra tries to persuade Ben to reconcile with Frankie, she gets fast-talked by Hamilton into performing as part of his magic act. Gaudi Afternoon was directed by Susan Seidelman; it was her first dramatic theatrical feature since Cookie in 1989, after spending over a decade making documentaries and television projects. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Susan Seidelman
- Genres
- Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Jul 20, 2001 Wide
- Studio
- First Look
Critic Reviews
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Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
A kooky, madcap adventure set in Barcelona devolves into a sort of sub -sub-Almodovar picture. Stay for the opening credits, then leave.
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Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
For a while, the sheer exoticism of the characters and the setting provides a certain amount of interest, but the film's farcical situations, mostly involving the sexual orientation of its characters, ultimately prove tiresome.
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Lou Lumenick, New York Post
A mildly entertaining gender-bender comedy set in Barcelona, never quite lives up to its excellent cast or the onetime promise of director Susan Seidelman.
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A.O. Scott, New York Times
What should be a soufflé of gender-bending mischief is more like a bowl of oatmeal.
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Jan Stuart, Newsday
Even the crackpot architectural genius of Antonio Gaudi cannot elevate this silly little farce of sexual confusion from director Susan Seidelman and writer James Myhre.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Judy Davis
as Cassandra Reilly
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Marcia Gay Harden
as Frankie Stevens
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Lili Taylor
as Ben
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Juliette Lewis
as April
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Christopher Bowen
as Hamilton
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María Barranco
as Carmen
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Pep Molina
as Paco
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Courtney Jines
as Delilah Stevens
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Victor Alvaro
as Juan
