Aug 15, 2020

The Worker (1983)



(Original Title: El currante) Another Spanish comedy starring Andrés Pajares.



 Manolo Alcores (Andrés Pajares) is a guy who seems to work twenty jobs, but is good at none of them.

 After each shift, he races around town to his next job.

 Petra (Beatriz Escudero) the maid lets him into the rich household where he is to fix a plumbing issue.

 Don Fabián (Antonio Ozores) is the wealthy owner of the home.


 They think Don Fabián has left, and they enjoy his fancy tub.  But there's a knock at the door; they've returned.

 Manolo has a plan: Petra will literally hang herself on the bathrobe hook like so...

 Pretty ingenious, actually.

 Manolo finally lets Don Fabián into the bathroom; it looks like Petra won't be discovered - but gets real close when he wipes his face with her bathrobe!

 On to his next job, where he works for Elvira (Jenny Llada).

 Elvira works in a big office; for a moment, Manolo can pretend he's succesful.

Of course, they have a thing going...



Why does Manolo work twenty jobs?  So he can afford to send his daughter to the finest school in the city.

 Manolo is called back to Don Fabián's residence.

 He's gotten his finger stuck in the drain.

For this scene alone, this movie is worth watching.  As Manolo tugs on the pipe, it hilariously looks like he's jacking off Don Fabián.

Manolo has to keep up the ruse to his ex-wife and kids that he's successful.  Elvira lets him use her office space to give the impression he's a big-time businessman.

 Naturally, things escalate out-of-control as lies pile upon lies, until his he's finally discovered.

In the end, it's better that his family know his true situation and accept him for who he is.  They bring him lunch at the construction site. THE END



The film is at its best when Manolo is going job to job: it's sexy and each situation is pretty hilarious.  When the real plot kicks in, and he has to maintain the ruse that he's successful, things get a bit repetitive and tiresome.  Sure, the energy builds as his house of cards gets more and more unstable, but it also gets less interesting for some reason.  A small complaint for an otherwise solid comedy.

★★★★☆

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