Susanna

Susanna (1996) - An irresponsible young Spaniard having spent 6 months in jail for embezzlement gets a job as a waiter in a bar restaurant and becomes involved in a stolen goods racket. The storyline is not particularly exciting but the portrayal of human relationships across ethnic barriers is an interesting slant. Susanna (Eva Santolaria) is torn between a life of security with her future Muslim partner Said (Said Amel) and a passionate relationship with a married Spaniard Alex (Alex Casanovas). The sex scenes are torrid and believable. Parts of the film are contrived e.g. Alex inadvertently leaves a blood-stained shirt on a table in the bar after a quick change into a fresh shirt. The dumb police don't even notice this important clue. I found Alex's attempt to dispose of the murder weapon (dagger) though a steel grating in a narrow street very exciting as he struggled with the thick handle in a moment of desperation. The final reunion of husband, wife and baby is a convenient but unlikely conclusion to a life of crime and infidelity.