"Colegas" is the second of four movies which Eloy De La Iglesia dedicated to the underworld of drugs (specially heroin) and juvenile delinquency in Spain, in the early 80's (along with "Navajeros", "El Pico", and "El Pico 2"). His style is pretty much urban and realistic (in the looks and in the dialogs),he chose young and natural actors (Manzano, Pirri, or San Francisco were the usual ones) and let the stories flowed. In "Colegas" we watch the day-by-day of three friends: José, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's older brother (which is Jose's best friend as well). We see their troubles growing in such a low-class "barrio" from Madrid. One day José's girlfriend announces him she's pregnant, and they decide that she aborts. So, they'll have to gather some money and in order to do that José and his girlfriend's brother will do anything that's necessary.

De la Iglesia shows the ugliness of those "barrios": three brothers sleeping together in one room (you can almost smell their sweat),how hard it was for the young ones to get a job... The plot is such rude, the script is second rate, and the passage of time hasn't had no mercy with most of Eloy's movies, but there they are: they represent a time and a way of life in the history of Spain; and now they may seem a little bit naive, but in 1982, 7 years after dictator Franco died it wasn't naive at all.

PD: De La Iglesia got so deep in drug world that he himself ended up being an heroin-addicted.

My rate: 6/10

This epic film from director Eloy de la Iglesia is one of the best movies ever made on the subject of the bonds of friendship. Antonio, Jose, and Rosario share the kind of bond with each other that only seems to be possible when we are very young. There is no posturing or illusion among them, their friendship is so pure that it sometimes hurts to watch! Iglesia made a number of these 'teens in revolt' movies in the late 70's and 80's, and it seems like he had a genuine connection to what it means to be that age, and at odds with authority, and the world around you. These movies are so authentic, most likely due to the fact that he would cast real kids and basically had them play themselves. His favorite actor/delinquent to work with was of course, Jose Luis Manzano, the curly haired, angelic looking devil from "El Pico" and "Navajeros," both excellent films as well Sadly most of these kids died before age 30, but they have been immortalized forever in these classic cult films. "Colegas" is huge in scope, going through so many different levels, and situations both comical and sad, and sometimes just plain scary, at one point even ending up in Morocco, all the while the bond of friendship is at it's core.. It is unbelievable that these movies aren't well known outside of their native Spain, and there are no English subtitles available for many of them. But they are definitely iconic in their own land, and a fine document of what life was like in Franco's Spain.

Drugs , unemployment , abort and other dramatic events about delinquency . Brooding and thought-provoking look about young delinquents , junkies and jobless in Spain from the 80s . Intelligent , shocking and thrilling film based on facts about juvenile delinquency in Madrid , Spain . Portrait of Madrid early 80's showing in a realist style the Spanish way of life , being especially reflected the low-class . In the tradition of typical underground films at the time, you can see a hidden image of Spain . The image of low-class , drug dealers , margined districts and complete self governing cities inside the city . It deals with a trio of inseparable friends turned delinquents , together they share friendship , brotherhood and loyalty . Two inseparable , best friends named Jose (Jose Luis Manzano) and Antonio (Antonio Flores who along with Rosario result to be sons from La Faraona or Lola Flores , a real myth in Spain) are forced into street hustling and ever-expanding life of crime when one impregnates the sister named Rosario (Rosario Flores) of the other and they then attempt to earn money . The protagonists choose to live dangerously and they are forced to take a life of crime to survive and saving some money , as they will need to take care of the situation to provoke an abortion . In order to get money , both of them scheme and carry out robberies in and around Madrid barrios . So , they'll have to gather some money and anything that's necessary to obtain it , but the events get worse .

¨Colegas¨ is one of several movies dealing with youth delinquency in Spain during the 70s and early 80s along with ¨Perros Callejeros I and II¨ , ¨Perras Callejeras¨ , ¨ Los Ultimos Golpes Del Torete¨, ¨Yo el Vaquilla¨, mostly realized by Jose Antonio De La Loma , ¨Navajeros , "Colegas" , "El Pico 1 y 2" and later ¨La Estanquera De Vallecas ¨ by Eloy De La Iglesia , and especially ¨Deprisa , Deprisa¨ by Carlos Saura , among others . Many of them starred by unknown young people and authentic delinquents extracted from urban environments . These films turned to be shocking and realistic and were notorious in the years of the Spanish transition to democracy , including provoking and polemic issues such as heroin addiction , sex and violence . Realist sets as well in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog and attempting to take a position in favor of outcast people . Drugs , delinquency and generational problems are the habitual subjects in these films and specially dedicated to the underworld of heroin and a very realistic look at drug addiction . In ¨Colegas¨ we watch the adventures a trio of eighteen-years-old youngsters committing some crimes but also trying to help themselves , however Eloy De La Iglesia gets to make a both lyric and documentary-style flick . A great look at young life and friendship in the margined side let the story flow efficiently and being realized in realistic style . We see their troubles growing in such slums , impoverished neighborhoods from Madrid and outskirts and some fine locations . The director creates a sort of Spanish Neo-Realism by tackling the juvenile delinquency in the Madrid streets from a sociological point of view . After the dead of the dictator Franco, an avalanche of drugs , rock and radical leftist and independence activism flooded Spain . This transformed certain areas of the main Spanish cities into wild areas . Full of explicit violence and drugs, with an appropriately selected soundtrack , resembles the total freedom and anarchy atmosphere of that times and places . Eloy De La Iglesia shows sad and poor slums , and toughness and cold existence of their people . The screenplay by Gonzalo Goicoechea is such strong with disagreeable events , including lots of nudism , violent scenes , though also with some ingenuousness . Eloy De La Iglesia chose young and natural actors as Jose Luis Manzano , Antonio Flores who plays some songs and El Pirri who interpret their part to the hilt , unafraid of filmmaker's unsympathetic camera and the particularity of the characters . Unfortunately , Manzano , Antonio , Pirri along with the director De La Iglesia early died by drugging . Passable photography with juicy atmosphere by Hans Burman , deemed one of the best Spanish cameraman , but unfortunately turns too much murky in some video print , being necessary a a correct remastering .

The motion picture is professionally directed by Eloy De La Iglesia though with some flaws and gaps . De La Iglesia is a good Spanish movies director , he began working in cinema in 1966, though he became notorious in the years of the Spanish transition to democracy with shocking and polemic films as ¨El Pico 1 and 2¨ , ¨El Diputado¨, ¨The priest , ¨Clockwork terror¨ , ¨La Otra Alcoba¨ , ¨El Techo De Cristal¨, ¨La Semana Del Asesino¨ , and after ¨Bulgarian lovers¨ and many others . Drugs , delinquency, terrorism and generational problems are the habitual subjects in his films , and specially dedicated to the underworld of heroin ; as well as the gay world . With the passing of time hasn't had no mercy with most of Eloy's movies, but represent a time and a way of life in the history of Spain , during as called 'Transicion' ; and now they may seem a little bit ingenious . As Eloy De La Iglesia chose young and natural actors as Jose Luis Manzano , Pirri, or Quique San Francisco , his fetish actor , all of them were the usual ones . Rating : 5,5 , Acceptable and passable.