This perceptible drama is based on a story and script by Joaquim Jordà and director Andrés Linares himself. It deals with Tomás (Massimo Ghini) , a prestigious musician, returns to Spain, to find his greatest friends of past times. Firstly, he contacts a former classmate from the musical conservatory, Alberto (Juan Diego), proposing to work on a new musical project. But his real intention is to find out what happened to another friend of theirs, Damián (Antonio Banderas), who mysteriously disappeared.
This is a thought-provoking drama filmed with great sensitivity and feeling. It's an intelligent and touching story with plenty of classic music, although is sometimes slow-moving and tiring, but is finely developed with sense of style and sensibility. The issue is simple and clearly exposed, as a successful musician returns to his natal city looking for his past and through his memory , remembering old times ; starting an unforgettable journey by everyone, thanks to his good friend, Juan Diego who gives a top-notch performance, and attempting to find another friend who's missing, Antonio Banderas. In this sensitive picture ethic and moral themes are treated, being developed with great sense of fairness and ductility. There is also a tribute to Juán Ramón Jimenez, for showing a parallel existence of exile as happens to the protagonist of the film, and some of his verses and phrases are equally recited.
The main starring Massimo Ghini gives an awesome acting as a successful as well as exiled musician who returns to his origin location and contacts an old friend, remembering their experiences from years ago years ago by means of some flashbacks. The best scenes are those that detail a touching meeting in a popular 'Romeria' or 'Verbena' , in which the atmosphere of the town festival and its local dances is faithfully captured. And he specifically mentioned Antonio Banderas who apparently plays the trumpet very well, something he also demonstrates this ability in the film that opened the doors of Hollywood to him: The Mambo Kings (Los reyes del mambo tocan canciones de amor (1992))
Along with the starring trio: Massimo Ghini, Juan Diego , Antonio Banderas, al of them giving nice acting, there're various secondary actors providing adequate support, such as: the american Nina van Pallandt, Amparo Climent, Félix Cubero, María Jesús Hoyos, Antonio Gamero and Luis Ciges.
Besides , it packs an exceptional and colorful cinematography by Federico Ribes, as it is well shown on brilliant interiors and gorgeous outdoors of the countryside and villages, being shot on location. Federico Ribes is one of the best Spanish cameramen, photographing notorious films as ¨Una casa en las afueras¨, ¨Yoyes¨, ¨Tánger¨, ¨La justicia de los forajidos¨, ¨Ilegal¨, ¨El señor de los Llanos¨, and ¨El Rio que nos lleva¨. This unknown motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Andrés Linares (La vida en rojo, Alzados del suelo, Doblones de a ocho, Dolores) and failed at the boxoffice despite its great cast. "Así como habían sido" (1987) got some prizes, 1989 Winner Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actor Antonio Banderas shared with : Baton Rouge , Mujeres al borde de un ataque de 'nervios' , El placer de matar and 1989 Nominated Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actor Juan Diego. Rating: 5.5/10. Average but acceptable and passable.
