Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

I found this movie on Netflix streaming and it is a real gem of a movie but English-only fans need to do a lot of reading subtitles. Most of it is in Spanish, and of course set and filmed in Spain.My first attraction to the movie is its title, that phrase and the song "Strawberry Fields" have been favorites of mine since the 1970s. The phrase, "living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see" is one of the more profound in any form of writing. Set in 1966, Javier Cámara is 40-something Antonio, a teacher of English in a small Spanish city. He has become an ardent Beatles fan and uses lyrics from their songs to help teach. He finds out that John Lennon is an actor in the 1967 British film "How I Won The War", being filmed not too far away, in Almería, so he borrows his dad's old car and sets out on a road trip. He matter of factly plans to find Lennon and meet him.Along the way he quickly meets two runaways looking for rides. The first is a young 20s Natalia de Molina as Belén. She doesn't seem too particular about where she goes and accepts the offer of a ride. The second is teenager Francesc Colomer as Juanjo. We see some of his family dynamics and his dad is very hard on him, insisting he cut his mop of hair short, among other things, so he hits the road.It is not possible in a written review to describe the wonderful dynamics that develop among this trio. Antonio is a very nice man, he easily does favors for others, and because he always has been teaching children never has had time for a wife and family.This is one of the best movies I have seen this year.SPOILERS: The three find a temporary base in a small fishing and strawberry village on the sea, Juanjo gets a menial job at the restaurant/bar. After one day and just before bed in separate rooms, Antonia tells Belén how pretty she is and calmly wonders if she would consider marrying him. Then he tells her he would marry her. The day before he found out she was 3 months pregnant. That same night Belén has a romantic encounter with Juanjo, but basically tells him he is too young. Antonio finally does manage to get a few minutes with Lennon in his trailer and comes out with his portable recorder, with an early version of "Strawberry Fields" sung and played by Lennon. As they all part he tells Belén you know where to find me, if you ever need me for anything.

After fifty years, it is still difficult to assess the full effect the Beatles have had on our culture. Even with the emergence of truth-tellers such as Bob Dylan in the early 60s, the full flowering of independent thinkers and irreverent behavior was not fully realized until the Beatles arrived to help make it a permanent transformation. While the impact of the Beatles was greatest in the U.S. and Britain, the sense of being a part of a new community was felt even in totalitarian regimes where the hippie look and the Beatle-style longhair among teens became a reason for a resurgence of hope even when accompanied by establishment panic.The subject is explored with confidence in writer/director David Trueba's (Soldiers of Salamina) Living is Easy with Eyes Closed, winner of six Goya Awards, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars. Inspired by a real incident, the title of the comedy/drama mirrors the first line of the Beatles song Strawberry Fields Forever whose lyrics signal attention to the growing use of psychedelics. Set in Spain in 1966 during the last years of the oppressive Franco regime, Antonio, played by veteran actor Javier Cámera (I'm So Excited), is a single and somewhat lonely English teacher who is a devoted Beatles fan and uses their lyrics as a teaching tool.When he hears that the famous Beatle John Lennon is filming Richard Lester's How I Won the War in the south of Spain, he decides to take some time off and drive down to Almeria with the hopes of meeting John and asking him to include his song lyrics in future albums. Along the way, Antonio picks up two young hitchhikers, both on the run from unpleasant situations at home, Belén (Natalia de Molina) a three-month pregnant 20-year-old leaving the nunnery where she was sent by her mother, and Juanjo (Francesc Colomer, Barcelona Summer Night), a 16-year-old boy (oddly a Rolling Stones fan) who has run away from his abusive father after an argument over his Beatles-style haircut.Although there is some initial uneasiness, Antonio's friendly, talkative nature allows them to relax and feel comfortable. Once in Almeria, the trio bond in a local farmhouse and the more experienced Belén has much to teach her new young friend. Though the film abounds with warmth and humor, especially when Antonio attempts to fulfill his dream of meeting John, there are some dark moments as well. A local bully, who may or may not be a stand-in for the Franco regime, messes up Juanjo's thick mop of hair and worse but the bully's strawberry fields will not last forever.Beautifully photographed by Daniel Vilar (The Artist and the Model) and buoyed by authentic performances from the entire cast, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed touches deep human emotions. Though the coming of age theme is fairly common in world cinema, rarely has it been done with such tenderness and intelligence, and its message of standing up to fear even though you may look foolish in the process is an important one. When Antonio tells his young friends that, "you can't live in fear. Too many people in Spain live in fear," it's a comment with multiple undertones. Living may be easier with your eyes closed, but it is much more satisfying when they are open.

I saw this movie on an international flight with United Airlines from the USA to Germany. In summary, it is a refreshing tale that layers many of life's lessons into the backdrop of the intrigue of the "mid-early" days of the Beatles -- with the focus on John Lennon. The summary plot is of a Spanish school teacher who is teaching English, and who happens to appear to be obsessed with John Lennon, decides to drive to the south of Spain (AWOL from work). On the way, he picks up and ends up somewhat parenting, "life coaching", and probable saving two run aways, along with himself. As a side note, the two runaways fall in love through a very circuitous route. In the end, Lennon is found, and you need to see the movie for the rest. I only saw the movie this week and fell in love with it. I wanted to show my family tonight, but found it is not available for sale. OMG!!! That is a travesty.... Someone have the sense to share this post/review and send it to someone who wants to make money from this film. I, for one, would pay to own it. Just after one viewing...!!

This charming, quirky film written and directed by David Trueba seems tailor-made for Javier Cámara who delivers a tender performance. (Viewers will remember Cámara's role as Simon in the wonderful film The Silent Life of Words.) Here Cámara plays Antonio, a high school English and Latin teacher, on a quest to meet John Lennon. Lennon is briefly in Almeria (south-eastern Spain; preferred location for Spaghetti Westerns). The movie title, Living is Easy With Eyes Closed is a line from Strawberry Fields Forever which Lennon wrote while in Almeria. En route to the coast, the optimistic and playful Antonio first picks up Belen and later Juan Jo, both runaways. At the final destination, the trio soon meet Ramon, a bar owner, and his disabled son Bruno. The story's themes, among others, are kindness, friendship, determination, dignity, bullying and revenge. To me the movie title is ironic since Antonio doesn't go through life with his eyes closed; he sees and understands everything. There are gaps in the film: after a theater scene why is Belen driving while Antonio appears drunk? Yet, the brutal face slapping and ear pulling are true of these times under Franco's regime. Watch this film, it's worth it.