Amigo

Meet Javier Botet. Profession: full-time creep! The name of this Spanish actor might not immediately sound familiar, but in case you're a horror fanatic you have seen him at work already. In fact, even his face might not look familiar, as Botet specializes in playing ghosts & entities, witches, monsters, and mutilated corpses! Due to his massive height, disturbingly low weight and a genetic illness that affects his skeleton structure, Botet ironically has the ideal posture to depict menacing and nightmarish creatures. But, in all honesty, also his actual face is somewhat uncanny. He looks like a combination of Mr. Bean and that weird Spanish kid Jordi who always pops up in porno-movies. Not that I watch those, of course...

"Amigo" features an all-natural and non-digitalized Javier Botet, but still his physical appearance plays a crucial role. In this experimental and low-budgeted blending between drama and psychological thriller, paraplegic Javi is taken to a cabin in a forsaken region by his friend David who has sworn to look after him. We gradually learn that David caused a terrible accident that not only resulted in Javi's incurable condition, but also killed his girlfriend. The isolation, the cold winter, the miserable living standards, and the constant tension between the two men slowly plants the idea inside David's brain that Javi is waiting for an opportunity to kill him. Or maybe he isn't imagining things at all?

It's an admirable effort for sure, this slow burner by co-writer/director Oscar Martin. Slightly too minimalistic for my personal taste, to be entirely honest, but I certainly respect the patient but steady mounting of the tension and the intense atmosphere. The script makes excellent use of recurring gimmicks, like the little bell Javi rings whenever he needs attention or the sinister horror movies that he watches on his little TV (which may or may not inspire him to get rid of his amigo). "Amigo" also takes place around the Christmas and New Year's period, but there isn't a decoration or a joyful spirit in sight, and I estimate - based on cars, household equipment and TV-broadcasts - the story takes place somewhere in the early or mid-70s. That would still be during Franco's reign, which also contributes to the overall depressing and colorless vibe throughout the whole of Spain.

Very, very powerful final 15-20 minutes, by the way!