WE KNOW what you’re thinking. But don’t panic. This cerebral Mexican drama bears little or no resemblance to the risibly Oirish Amy Adams vehicle of the same name.
Probably just as well – it's hard to imagine Leap Year's sadomasochistic games and inclinations nestling snugly alongside all that patronising paddywhackery. British director Michael Rowe's debut film, the winner of the Camera D'Or for Best First Feature at Cannes, is an adult movie in every sense.
An erotic thriller set entirely in the confines of a Mexico City apartment, the film's Aristotelian parsimony and explicit subject matter can make for something that feels like Looking for Mr Goodbarminus the authentic 1970s misogyny.
As Leap Yearopens, our heroine, freelance journalist Laura Lopez Arturo ( Babel's Monica Del Carmen), is counting down the days until February 29th. While she crosses off the dates she adds casual notches to her bedpost.
We’re aware from early on that Laura’s sexual proclivities are not necessarily healthy. She masturbates watching the neighbours; she consistently fibs on the phone to her family; she scores a different bloke every night. It’s only when Arturo (Gustavo Sanchez Parra) shows up that we realise just how damaged she is.
While most of Laura’s conquests can’t get away quick enough (one calls up his girlfriend seconds after zipping up his trousers), spanking fan Arturo is a kindred spirit. Within days, he’s calling around to muck about with knives and urinate on his new playmate. Laura, however, has much darker plans for their blossoming relationship.
Leap Year points to the causes underlying Laura’s behaviour, but is far too subtle and enigmatic to print up schematics on our behalf. Composed using disarmingly naturalistic plot-points and set-pieces – Laura sitting on the loo, Laura eating from a can – the film takes on the qualities of a tesseract; there’s far more going on than the concise setting and action ought to allow for. Ta-dah.
