MY MOTHER LIKES WOMEN Mother and Daughters Caught in an Almodóvarian Romp By STEPHEN HOLDEN Published: May 21, 2004 The fizz of sexual anarchy that bubbles like spiked ginger ale through the comedy "My Mother Likes Women" is so close in spirit to the early films of Pedro Almodóvar that the very existence of this Spanish frolic would be unthinkable without the master's having prepared the way. Directed by Inés París and Daniela Fejerman, the film, which stars Rosa María Sardà and Leonor Watling, both alumni of recent Almodóvar films, is the second Almodóvarian erotic romp to open in a month, following the witty, guilt-free kink of "Bulgarian Lovers." Both movies are set in Madrid and focus on middle-aged adults giddily besotted with younger, poorer immigrants whose romantic motives seem suspect. Together they suggest that in contemporary Spain Mr. Almodóvar — whose newest film, "Bad Education," just played at the Cannes International Film Festival — is a determining force in his country's loosening sexual attitudes. Several of the characters in "My Mother Likes Women" observe the world from a dizzy, fun-house-mirror perspective of romantic fluster. Ms. Sardà's character, Sofia, a successful, formerly married concert pianist with three grown-up children, kicks over the traces when she unexpectedly falls in love with a woman. In the film's opening scene, at her own birthday party, Sofia presents her much younger lover, Eliska (Eliska Sirová), to her three shocked daughters. A shy Czech immigrant who speaks broken Spanish, Eliska also plays the classical piano, and the two women seem cozily in love. Caught by surprise the daughters — Elvira (Ms. Watling), Jimena (María Pujalte) and Sol (Silvia Abascal) — are barely able to smother their dismay and disapproval. Befuddlement turns to hostility when Elvira asks to borrow money from her mother and is told Sofia already gave her savings to Eliska. Convinced Eliska is a gold digger, the daughters scheme to destroy their mother's relationship. Strait-laced Jimena, the oldest, is married to a rigid conservative who is outraged by his mother-in-law's new relationship. The youngest, Sol, is a saucy redheaded pop singer who promptly mortifies the family by writing and performing a cheerful, salacious ditty proclaiming her mother's lesbianism to wild public enthusiasm. Elvira is a standard Almodóvarian neurotic, always on the edge of a nervous breakdown, acting out whatever loony fantasy pops into her head, and Ms. Watling imbues her with a screwball charm that makes her likable in spite of herself. The movie, which opens today in Manhattan, doesn't waste any time setting its plot in motion. First Sol, then Elvira is dispatched to try to seduce Eliska to gather evidence of the Czech's presumed faithlessness. At the same time Elvira, an aspiring novelist, has other battles to fight: one pits her against her bullying, lecherous therapist; another against her skinflint boss at a publishing house; a third against herself as she plays sexual games with a handsome author who fancies her. As "My Mother Likes Women" gallops along, it picks up speed and takes its characters on a whirlwind tour of Prague before rushing back home. As it accelerates, its texture thins and its story turns strained and eager to please. But it never loses its cheeky sense of humor about love and the havoc it can wreak. MY MOTHER LIKES WOMEN Written and directed by Inés París and Daniela Fejerman; in Spanish, with English subtitles; director of photography, David Omedes; edited by Fidel Collados; music by Juan Bardem; art director, Soledad Sesena; produced by Beatriz de la Gandara; released by Norador Productions. At the Angelika Film Center, Mercer and Houston Streets, Greenwich Village. Running time: 93 minutes. This film is not rated. WITH: Leonor Watling (Elvira), Rosa María Sardà (Sofia), María Pujalte (Jimena), Silvia Abascal (Sol), Eliska Sirová (Eliska) and Chisco Adado (Miguel).

My Mother Likes Women A Mi Madre Le Gustan Las Mujeres (Spain) Directed By Ines Paris and Daniela Fejerman With: Leonor Watling, Rosa Maria Sarda, Maria Pujalte, Silvia Abascal, Eliska Sirova, Chisco Amado, Alex Angulo, Aitor Mazo, Xabier Elorriaga. A Norador Productions Release By Beth Greenfield The plot of this Almodóvaresque comedy revolves around the varied reactions of three grown sisters when their divorced concert-pianist mother reveals that she's fallen in love with a woman. The meddling girls decide that their mother's much younger lover is a gold digger, and they hatch a plan to break them up. This twist carries the film to a conclusion that's an unbridled joy. And so is the directors' ability to create a portrait of an alterna-family without stooping to stereotypes.

My Mother Likes Women A Mi Madre Le Gustan Las Mujeres (Spain) Directed By Ines Paris and Daniela Fejerman With: Leonor Watling, Rosa Maria Sarda, Maria Pujalte, Silvia Abascal, Eliska Sirova, Chisco Amado, Alex Angulo, Aitor Mazo, Xabier Elorriaga. A Norador Productions Release By JONATHAN HOLLAND Lightness of touch, vibrant performances and a sharp script are the hallmarks of the delightful femme comedy "My Mother Likes Women," debut pic from writer-directors Ines Paris and Daniela Fejerman. Despite its misleadingly cheesy title and over-hasty wrap-up, this first Spanish feature helmed by two women sidesteps the over-earnestness or high camp that hallmark so much gay-themed Hispanic cinema, and also provides the best showcase so far for actress-to-watch Leonor Watling. Pic can expect to find a home in gay fests, but its basic troubled-romance motif could potentially appeal to a broader aud base. Classical pianist Sofia (dependable Rosa Maria Sarda) assembles her three twentysomething daughters -- highly-strung wannabe novelist Elvira (Watling), family-minded Jimena (Maria Pujalte) and rock singer Sol (Silvia Abascal) -- to introduce them to her new lover. To the mixed reactions of the girls, the lover is a woman, Eliska (Eliska Sirova), a Czech immigrant. Elvira, who fancies author Miguel (Chisco Amado), is thrown into a crisis. Her shrink (Aitor Mazo) is already advising her to give up her job in publishing and ask her mother for money so she can write; but Sofia says most of her money has gone to Eliska. Worried Eliska might be a gold-digger, the girls decide to test her to see if she really loves Mom. Sol flirts with the woman, but it becomes clear the real spark is between Elvira and Eliska. This generates problems between Elvira and Miguel, and makes Elvira comically doubt her own sexuality. The well-fashioned plot starts to come apart only when Eliska, having spent a drunken night with Elvira, decides(in an unlikely development) to return to the Czech Republic, leaving a distraught Sofia behind. The daughters head for Prague -- why not just phone?-- to bring her back, and the pace picks up too quickly during the final reel. Helmers are happy to let actors take the dramatic weight, with stylistic flourishes kept to a minimum and everything very au naturel. Perfs are engaging across the board, with Watling dominating as the entirely winsome Elvira, giving it all she's got as a kind of Hispanic, female Woody Allen. The underexploited Abascal likewise brings a charge to her scenes.

A MI MADRE LE GUSTAN LAS MUJERES (MY MOTHER LIKES WOMEN) (Unrated)*** June 11th, 2004 BY CONNIE OGLE ''No one died of having a lesbian mother,'' a young woman sensibly tells her two sisters upon learning that their mother's new love interest is a woman, but then all three proceed to fall apart and bicker and plot at the mere sight of the new girlfriend in this enjoyable Spanish comedy. The sisters may appear to be poised on the verge of nervous breakdowns -- particularly the peculiar Elvira, an unhappy wannabe author who hates her menial job in publishing and scares away potential suitors with bizarre behavior -- but My Mother Likes Women shares little in common with Pedro Almodóvar, choosing light-hearted farce over subtle complexity. The film is slight but amusing and likable, with lessons learned and a happy ending, a perfect candidate for an American remake. The grown daughters of pianist Sofia (Rose María Sardá) don't think they are bigots, but they're shocked to learn their divorced mother is in love with Eliska, a Czech musician. (Physical contact between the couple is sketchy at best; they're more like mother and daughter than lovers.) Their father blithely accepts the romance, but the daughters hatch a foolhardy plan to break up Sofia and Eliska, with predictably disastrous results. My Mother Likes Women hinges a little too much on misunderstanding; one simple conversation would solve the film's biggest dilemma. Some scenes work better than others -- one scene set in a lesbian bar seems pointless and wearisome, while Elvira's meetings with a handsome author, her pushy boss and lecherous therapist are all little comic delights. In the end, My Mother wins you over with this bright sense of humor and its gentle, welcome message of tolerance and acceptance. Cast: Leonor Watling, Rose María Sardá, María Pujalte, Silvia Abascal, Eliska Sirová. Directors/screenwriters: Daniela Fejerman, Inés París.

June 24, 2004 My Mother Likes Women By Frank Scheck NEW YORK -- Much as the specter of Quentin Tarantino hovers over every American crime thriller, so does Pedro Almodovar's when it comes to wacky Spanish comedies. Featuring not one but two actresses associated with his films, "My Mother Likes Women" comes across as Almodovar lite, but the film, from director-screenwriters Ines Paris and Daniela Fejerman, offers some pleasures along the way, including an engaging performance by Leonor Watling ("Talk to Her"). The setup, which will no doubt become the premise for some future American sitcom, concerns the coming out of Sofie (Rose Maria Sarda), a renowned concert pianist, to her three grown daughters. Compounding their shock is the fact that their mother's lover, Eliska (Eliska Sirova), also a pianist, is a beautiful Czech woman half her age. When it turns out that the mother has also given her new girlfriend a significant sum of money, leaving little left for the daughters, they resolve to scuttle the relationship. Much of the film revolves around the sisters' varied reactions to the news. Jimena (Maria Pujalte), the oldest, is married to a highly conservative man who becomes outraged at his mother-in-law's perversity. Sol (Silvia Abascal), the youngest, is a rock singer who takes it all in stride, even composing an explicit song about her mother's girlfriend that she performs, to their horror, in public. And neurotic middle sister Elvira (Watling), is thrown into a tailspin by the news, launching into a full-blown crisis about her own sexual identity. Paris and Fejerman throw a few too many plot twists into the mix, with some (Elvira's budding relationship with a hunky novelist) more successful than others (the sisters traveling to Prague to bring back the fleeing Eliska). There are also some jarring shifts in tone, from outrageous comedy to thoughtful domestic drama. But the film does manage to induce more than a few laughs along the way, many of them thanks to Watling's turn as the jumpy Elvira. Whether her character is fending off her psychotherapist's clumsy sexual advances or nearly raping the novelist to reaffirm her sexual preference, Watling conveys a hilarious intensity that contrasts mightily with her best-known role, as the comatose patient in Almodovar's "Talk to Her."