It Snows In Benidorm

It’s a scenario that many will be familiar with. Supposedly long in the tooth and too long in place, the offer of early retirement on a full pension is offered. Many would jump at the chance. Not Peter Riordan (Timothy Spall) he just wants to carry on working in a Manchester bank. But he’s not given the option and looking at his drab life he decides to visit his brother Daniel in Benidorm.

Getting there at the last address he has, he finds that his brother has disappeared. He then sets off to search for his brother that takes him to the usual Benidorm Brit spots, clubs and ends up unwearyingly dabbling with the Benidorm underworld.

Written and directed by Isabel Coixet this is as much about Peter’s self-discovery as the quest for his brother. However, it never quite develops with Peter doing little more than plodding around the city by day and night, he just continues to appear lost in mind and on foot.
An unlikely liaison develops with burlesque performer Alex (Sarita Choudhury) that could take the viewer into the film doesn’t really develop, and there’s no feeling of progression, although Choudhury is very good, as is Spall.

At close to two hours there’s sense of over-indulgence as the film meanders through Benidorm. To Coixet’s credit she does get beyond the usual tourist play areas, to open up the city showing that there is more to it than most will give it credit for.

The overwhelming experience however is that of a film trying to develop a dreamlike ambience that will support a mystery and character study. It doesn’t do that though Jean-Claude Larrieu’s camerawork, which is at times beautiful tries hard as does the remarkable soundtrack by Alfonso de Viallonga though that actually doesn’t sound as if it should be in this film.