Lucia, Lucia (La Hija del caníbal) (2003)

44% of critics liked it
(48 reviews)
53% of users liked it
(1,098 ratings)

Filmmaker Antonio Serrano, who made a splash with his first film Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas, returns to the screen with this thriller from Mexico. Lucia (Cecilia Roth) is a woman whose life is thrown into chaos when her husband suddenly disappears without a trace. As Lucia searches for a clue to his… More Filmmaker Antonio Serrano, who made a splash with his first film Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas, returns to the screen with this thriller from Mexico. Lucia (Cecilia Roth) is a woman whose life is thrown into chaos when her husband suddenly disappears without a trace. As Lucia searches for a clue to his whereabouts, she discovers evidence that suggests her husband had a dangerous secret life he never shared with her, and she finds she isn't the only person with an interest in finding him. Lucia, Lucia (originally released under the title La Hija del Canibal) also features Carlos Alvarez-Novoa and Kuno Becker. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Antonio Serrano
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 25, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Jan 13, 2004
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Critic Reviews

Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic
It's the old midlife crisis tale, just without a lot of charm or surprises.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Roth, as the writer-narrator and sexy center of the piece, simply shines.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
I love a good story, too, but I prefer one that actually goes somewhere (although, as joy rides to nowhere are concerned, this one is a beaut).
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
Despite the potential for menace implied by its set-up, Lucia, Lucia is finally about finding the opposite.
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle
Lucia, a writer of children's books, dips in and out of fiction in her own life, the line blurring so often that it's hard to tell what's real and what's fantasy in Lucia, Lucia. It's even harder to care.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Lucia, Lucia is nicely shot and edited, but the movie is a narrative mess.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
...if a director isn't willing to commit to his own movie, then why pray tell should we?
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
Director Antonio Serrano offers a feature length commentary in English (however broken it may be).
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
A playful, though not strikingly original, engagement of the unreliable narrator, and a fluffy study of the contrast between wish-fulfilling fiction and cold, hard reality.
David Keyes, Cinemaphile.org
Lucía reveals a great deal about herself in 110 minutes of self-fulfilling narration, but imagine how much better the experience would have been had the story allowed itself to match that depth.
Steve Schneider, Orlando Weekly
It's being touted as the latest chapter in the new wave of Mexican cinema, but comparing the meandering Lucia, Lucia to a milestone like Amores Perros is just plain loco.
Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews
More interested in getting to the next plot turn than in telling a coherent and compelling story.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
Serrano's frequently mystifying device of having Lucía's cardboard psyche mess with the audience's minds is ultimately a confusing bore.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Lucia Lucia is well acted and creatively shot, but the problem is that at its core lies a mystery that isn't terribly interesting.
Kim Morgan, Oregonian
The picture aims to be cheeky and interesting. But more often it's annoying.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
It's a nifty little premise that becomes even more engaging because of the movie's ability to look at ordinary events through extraordinary eyes.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dean M

Extraordinary Mexican romantic adventure of Lucia, played by Cecilia Roth, finds herself in a triangle of love and friendship are his neighbours, an old man and a young man. I like the love scene between Lucia and a young man that gives me good memories.