Francisco Garralda is a young man with a lot on his mind. He just failed his final psychology exam, he and his elderly father are about to be evicted for failure to pay the mortgage, and he is in deep debt with a loan shark who is threatening to harm Garralda or his father if the money isn’t repaid in just three days.
Garralda is desperately applying for work but without his qualification he is failing to get any opportunities. Out of desperation Garralda appeals to his psychology professor for a chance to resit his final exam. In the first of many strange and exciting twists, the professor offers him an unusual way out; he will pay off Garralda’s debts and pass his grade if he agrees to kill him.
Killing someone shouldn’t be too difficult, especially since the professor actually wants to die. The idea sounds simple enough, but with no plan and no stomach for murder Garralda finds himself with a bit of a dilemma.
Innocent Killers has a refreshingly original storyline with plenty of suspense and unexpected plot turns. Director Gonzala Bendala keeps the intensity high throughout and provides 90 minutes of nail-biting entertainment while somehow still managing to throw in a subtle mix of quirkiness and comedy.
The cast are good too. Maxi Iglesias as Garralda provides a complex and believable character and is ably supported by Miguel Angel Sola as his professor with a death wish and Lous Fernandez as Andres Nogales, the best friend.
Innocent Killers is not the type of film you might usually expect from an international film festival. It’s less arty and much more mainstream in style but if you like a good thriller then this is an absolute must-see for this year’s Spanish Festival.
Reviewed by Ceri Horner
Twitter: @CeriHorner
Rating out of 10: 8
Innocent Killers screens on 19 May 2016 as part of the Spanish Film Festival, exclusively at the Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas. All films screen with English subtitles.
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