The film is essentially a two-person chamber piece, relying heavily on the chemistry and performance of its leads.
Director: David Trueba Starring: José Sacristán, María Valverde Genre: Drama / Psychological Thriller
Set in the sweltering summer of 1987 in Madrid, the story follows Angela, an introverted university student who aspires to be a writer. She manages to secure an interview with Miguel, a famous, veteran columnist known for his incisive prose but currently suffering from writer's block and a general disillusionment with the world. Madrid 1987 Imdb
The two meet for a brief interview, but their meeting extends unexpectedly. They wander the streets of Madrid, engaging in a continuous dialogue about life, politics, literature, and generational differences. Eventually, they end up in Miguel's apartment. Through a twist of circumstance, they become locked in a bathroom together, naked.
Trapped in close quarters, the film shifts into an intense psychological study. The physical confinement forces them to strip away their societal masks. Miguel attempts to seduce Angela intellectually and physically, while Angela navigates the power dynamic, oscillating between admiration for his intellect and a desire to assert her own independence. The film serves as a metaphor for the generational clash in Spain—those who lived through the Transition and those born after it. The film is essentially a two-person chamber piece,
| Source | Rating / Sentiment | |--------|--------------------| | IMDb Users | 6.3 — Polarizing | | Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer) | 80% Fresh (based on 10 reviews) | | Rotten Tomatoes (Audience) | 55% — Divisive | | Metacritic | 65/100 — Generally favorable |
Critics praised its audacity; general audiences often found it pretentious or uncomfortable. The two meet for a brief interview, but
The premise is deceptively simple. Miguel agrees to meet Ángela in a quiet café in Madrid to discuss a potential interview for her university newspaper. The conversation is intellectual, flirtatious, and tense. When the café owner leaves, Miguel invites Ángela up to his friend’s nearby apartment to continue the discussion over whiskey. Once inside, a tragicomedy of errors occurs: Miguel locks the heavy wooden bathroom door to hide from the arrival of his friend. The lock jams. They are trapped.
Naked. The film’s most shocking moment happens organically: Miguel suffers a panic attack, strips off his clothes, and convinces a hesitant Ángela to do the same to "destroy the artifice of society." What follows is a Socratic dialogue about the Spanish transition to democracy, the role of the media, sexual politics, and the generational gap—all while they huddle on an old bathroom rug.
On IMDb, David Trueba’s 2011 Spanish drama Madrid, 1987 holds a modest but telling profile. As of its most recent data, the film carries a 6.7/10 rating from several thousand user votes—a score that reflects its polarizing, art-house nature rather than mainstream appeal. The page lists key credits: director David Trueba, stars José Sacristán and María Valverde, and a runtime of 105 minutes. But the numbers only hint at the film’s true character.