What's so funny!?

I finally got around to seeing a Spanish comedy at the Spanish Film Festival (which just ended in Melbourne).

El Club de Los Suicidas (2007) is from Spain, directed by Roberto Santiago (also responsible for The Longest Penalty in the World). The film revolves around a group of people in therapy together, after each has tried to kill themselves. One member of the group brings a collection of short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson (yes, the classic author. The short stories are real), and inspires the film's protagonist, Antonio (played by popular Spanish actor, Fernando Tejero), to start a similar club, where the members of group therapy can help each other, and themselves, die.

With this, the film moves into great slapstick comedy, with the obese, hapless Javi (by Janma Cifuentes, who in my mind steals the film) who can't kill the first person of the club to die. After a few successes, Antonio, the instigator of the group changes his mind about dying, bringing about conflict within the group, leading towards the film's conclusion.

Overall, the film is a well put together light-weight black comedy. While there are a number of plot-holes, they can be overlooked. However, the main problem with the film is the lack of emotional involvement with the main characters. Firstly, you have trouble believing these guys ARE friends, and secondly, the director has chosen to keep the film light-hearted and only briefly alludes to the main characters reasons for wanting to end it all - or worse, gives them flippant reasons, which never gives you a sense they really want to end it all. While it could be argued that this might have detracted from the film, I think it might have helped give it a bit more emotional weight.

Rating: 5/10

The trailer: