I bought this one at a yard sale over the summer, having remembered that it got some good reviews. Plus I have a foreign film fetish, so even though it was on VHS, I bought it.

Whooo man, it is a goodie!

The story centers around 3 people, two best friends and one beautiful, slightly older, woman.

Just after high school, Tenoch and Jose's girlfriends head off to Europe for the summer and of course the boys are looking for some foot loose and fancy free fun- even though they made their girlfriend's promise fidelity.

At a huge, exclusive party hosted by Tenoch's Dad, they meet a lovely woman named Lousia who just happens to be married to Tenoch's jerk of a cousin. The boys fall for her in a cute puppyish way and they invite her to join them on a journey to secluded beach they dub Heaven's Mouth- a place they made up but they thoroughly expecting her to decline the invite.

Later, when Louisa's husband calls from Spain and drunkenly tells her he cheated on her, she takes the boys up on the offer.

Of course this story is not about the destination- which by the way they do find- it's about what happens along the way. And though you believe it's all about Tenoch and Jose learning a lesson, which it definitely is, what sticks with you- is Louisa.

This is a woman's movie-and not in a chick flick, mushy way. It's gritty, sexual and coarse. But the ending is so poignant I can't help but name this film among one of my all time favorites.

Tons of foreshadowing in this film, but it's all about really living.

Be warned: Lots of nudity and graphic themes in this film- male and female- and it is a Spanish film. But I highly recommend it. You won't be disappointed.

I will not try to add much to the other commenters who have already noted what a great film this is. I only want to suggest that everyone who watches this film sees the unrated version.

The rated 'R' version still includes lots of raunchy sex, but leaves out the most important 5 seconds in the entire film - a kiss between the two main male characters. This homoerotic tension coming out is just about the entire darn point of the film, and the rated 'R' version was compelled to leave it out. It is a sad commentary on the moral backwardness of our Hollywood rating system that 17-year olds are deemed fit to watch tons of hot, naked heterosexual sex but supposedly still aren't mature enough to see two men kissing on screen.

I bought the R rated version of this movie from Amazon after borrowing the film from my local Blockbuster in Australia. I loved the library copy enough to want to own a copy of my own - only to find that the American R certificate version had been so badly edited that the sense of the film had been lost. Yes, the original film is erotic and confronting; the American R certificate version leaves much of the nudity but deletes some crucial footage. For example, in the climactic scene at the beach once the long journey is over, the kiss between Julio and Tenoch ends up on the cutting room floor! Without this, the tension of the following scenes is inexplicable. Try to buy the original and enjoy the whole film. It's refreshingly different, sad and clever.