Synopsis
Released in 1990, The Ages of Lulu (Las Edades de Lulú) is a Spanish film directed by Bigas Luna. Translated into English, the title literally means “The Ages of Lulu”. It is an adaptation of Almudena Grandes’ novel, chronicling the life of a woman in Spain from her teenage years to her twenties, focusing on her sexual and romantic relationships. The story is intense and multifaceted, showcasing how one’s erotic life can become intertwined with dark themes of obsession and control.
The story begins with the infatuation of an older man with the younger Lulu. He is the friend of her older brother and is noted to be twenty-five years old, while Lulu is only fifteen. This is the catalyst for her sexual awakening and allows for a lifetime of desire. Not long after that, the two meet again. This time, the older man is married and she is a confident girl. They divorce for one another, get married, and have a child.
At first, she is sexually open and interested in experimenting with things such as role-play and fantasies. Gradually, Lulu loses interest, and begins to attempt to rediscover the passion in her life. Their marriage becomes fraught with tension as rarely does she try to break from their monotony. It becomes clear that she is now open, and willing to do anything in a bid to reignite their passion.
Through her search, Lulu is taken deeper and deeper into more risky and taboo realms, which include secret underground clubs, anonymous sex, and even BDSM. Ely, a transgender sex worker and performer, becomes both a mentor and protector, guiding Lulu through this unconventional world. Lulu is introduced to people who live beyond the boundaries society has set, embracing sexual extremism, performance, and dominion.
As Lulu further explores this society, her grip on reality and her sense of self-being begins diminishing. She transforms into a domineering figure who indulges in group sex, voyeurism, and violent sex while interacting with strangers to attain the passion previously felt. The thin line that delineates liberation and self-destruction is completely consumed.
The climax of the film ensues with Lulu being seduced into a violent and humiliating sexual act by a spiteful and controlling figure from her freshly adopted circle. The event cascades into a horrific assault. Lulu becomes branded with the emotional scars left by her reckless pursuit of pleasure and begins to realize the reality behind her decisions.
In the closing minutes of the movie, she leaves the world which was about to destroy her. Whether that is true liberation, or only mere survival, is left in the is open to interpretation.
Cast and Characters
Francesca Neri as Lulu: Neri gives a powerful and multi-faceted performance as Lulu in the film’s centerpiece. Her performance evolves from a spectrum of innocent curiosity to reckless obsession and emotional unraveling.
Óscar Ladoire as Pablo: Lulu’s husband and first lover. He is a multifaceted character who brings her to the threshold of her adult sexual experience, but who later emotionally retreats and deepens her spiral.
María Barranco as Ely: An underground transgender sex worker who brings Lulu into the subterranean world of eroticism. Ely’s character is simultaneously maternal as well as inscrutable which deepens the film’s emotional and sociological layers.
Javier Bardem has a small but striking part as one of the men who is helping in Lulu’s sexual plunge into the abyss. His short role is unforgettable because of the strength of his performance.
Completing the cast are well-known Spanish performers such as Rosana Pastor and Fernando Guillén Cuervo, who portray relatives and participants in the underground scene as well as lovers.
Crew and Production
Director: Bigas Luna, a Spanish Film maker renowned for his obsession with eroticism, power, and taboo, leads the project with unflinching imagination. He walks a tightrope of art-house eroticism and psychological discomfort.
Screenplay: Co-written by Bigas Luna, he adapts the screenplay from Almudena Grandes’ novel. He captures the essence of the novel by streamlining the story for cinematic style and pacing.
Cinematography: The attention of the camera recalls the film’s intimate features. The movie is viscerally and symbolically rich. The camera captures detail of skin, face, and slow movements, creating a blend of arousal and discomfort.
Music: Lulu’s psychological decline is mirrored in the score, which can be emotionally seductive and at other points foreboding, accenting her descent.
Themes
- Sexual Freedom vs. Self-Destruction
In their quest for sexual freedom, the film shows how the absence of boundaries and emotional connection cultivates the disintegration of the self. Lulu’s story is one of paradoxical empowerment and vulnerability.
- Desire, Memory, and Time
The film describes newly acquired features of a person, which results in a fixed sense of identity, but is rather a collection of memories, an ideal self that one can appreciate. The title relates pining aspects of Lulu’s emotion and sexual development.
- Power and Submission
The power struggle of dominance and submission is present throughout the film both physically and emotionally. Lulu seeks to recreate the relationship dynamic of Pablo’s early control over her and seeks to impose it even on strangers. The film poses the question if freedom can exist in a relationship where one is fully controlled.
- Identity and Transformation
Lulu’s transformation includes a myriad of constantly changing roles—a student, a lover, a wife, a mother, an object of desire, and a seeker of freedom. With Ely’s character, The film also touches on fluidity and gender transformation, thereby expanding the narrative to non-binary expressions of sexuality and identity.
Tone and Style
The Ages of Lulu is audacious in style, erotic and emotionally charged. The oscillating tone between sensuality and discomfort compels the viewers to grapple with the psychological aspects of that the film presents. Luna employs close-ups, shadows, mirrors, and other evocative imagery to underline Lulu’s introspective struggles.
The film’s dialogue is sparse, and several interactions unfold in silence. The viewer is immersed in intimate, sultry yet stifling places through dreamlike cinematography.
The film does not romanticize Lulu’s journey. Rather, it portrays her descent into sexual excess as raw and deeply human—a frantic quest for meaning, intensity, and connection that ultimately propels her into danger and emotional crisis.
Critical Reception
“The Ages of Lulu” stirred substantial controversy for its explicit sexual content and its unflinching depiction of taboo subjects. It received both praise and condemnation for its so-called “exploration of feminine desire” and was described as exploitative and morally gray.
The emotional and artistic depth of Francesca Neri’s performance received accolades for what critics described as raw intensity. Many embraced her as a brave woman for embodying a character so physically and emotionally vulnerable. Alongside its portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals and sexual diversity, which many viewed as prurient, the film received praise for its sensationalized portrayal of “nontraditional” love.
Despite the divisive nature of the film, a cult following has emerged for its depiction of unflinching and daring explorations of society’s underbelly.
Conclusion
“In Spanish, “The Ages of Lulu” translates to “Las edades de Lulu.” It is a film that is provocative in nature, and emotionally intricate in analyzing the psychology of desire. The film highlights the risks of emotional dependency and the thin boundary dividing freedom and exploitation. Spanish cinema of the 1990s did not lack, “daring” films.”
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