Live Flesh

(Orion)

Pedro Almodóvar's story, which he adapted from a Ruth Rendell novel, grows out of the confrontation in a Madrid apartment between the naive Victor (Liberto Rabal) and an Italian diplomat's daughter named Elena (Francesca Neri). They squabble, the police are called, a shot is fired, and one officer, David (Javier Bardem), is left paraplegic. The director, a survivor of the Franco regime, bookends his film with two Christmas miracles -- in his now mature vision, cruelty and betrayal exist alongside generosity and forgiveness.