I think I first saw Pepi, Luci, Bom And Other Girls Like Mom about 20-25 years ago, back when I wasn't quite so familiar with the filmography of writer-director Pedro Almodóvar. I thought it was a funky and odd film, quite the mix of melodrama, sex, and something enjoyably spiky and punk. I know that you could say the same thing about many other Almodóvar movies, but it's good to know that he seemed fairly fully-formed when he began to direct features. This is only his second full-length film, but it's standard Almodóvar through and through.
Carmen Maura plays Pepi, a young woman who we see quite early on being assaulted by an abusive policeman (played by Félix Rotaeta). Pepi decides to get revenge, but her initial plan doesn't work out as expected. So she sets her sights on Luci (Eva Siva), the wife of the policeman. Luci is quite the masochist, which makes it easier to lead her further and further down a path of hedonism and sexual freedom, much to the initial amusement of Pepi and her friend, Bom (played by Alaska, AKA Olvido Gara Jova). Things soon start shifting in the balance of the group though, and maybe it's not a great idea to try and hit back at someone by degrading a masochist.
There doesn't seem to be too much to say about this though, although I accept that my lack of words may be down to my lack of critical thinking while being entertainingly bemused and distracted by the antics of the main characters. I know one thing I need to comment on first though. Some viewers may dislike the way Almodóvar seems to use sexual abuse so flippantly, especially if you've not seen any other movies from him, but there IS something being said about boundaries, control, and what different people seek from sexual encounters. I don't think it all entirely balances out, but the conversations and many other pairings throughout the film at least go some way towards showing some of the damage and consequences stemming from abuse.
Maura almost floats through the entire movie, despite being the one person who is treated in such an awful way that she ends up setting off the entire chain of events. Her indefatigable spirit is another reason the film works better than it otherwise would. Alaska is a lot of fun, scowling at many around her, but always ready to be right by the side of those she actually cares about while life keeps throwing mud in their eyes. Siva doesn't need to stay too quiet and prudish for long, and she's very good at portraying someone who throws herself into a new and exciting life while still feeling that strong pull to her old self. Rotaeta isn't allowed to soften any edges of his character, making his acting job easier as he moves from one victim to the next, always eager to bully and use people just long enough for him to get his kicks. The character is loathsome, the performance is great.
I still think that Almodóvar has done all of his absolute best work in the 21st century (well, from the late '90s and beyond), despite some other titles scattered throughout his filmography that many people like a lot more than I do, but this is a hell of a sophomore feature that encapsulates a lot of what he does so well. It doesn't have the polish of his later films, of course, but that works to his advantage, with the energy and aesthetic easily distracting from any of the potential negatives.
8/10
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