Sexo, pudor y lágrimas (Sex, Shame, and Tears) is a 1999 Mexican romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Antonio Serrano and starring Demián Bichir, Susana Zabaleta, Jorge Salinas, Cecilia Suárez, Víctor Huggo Martin and Mónica Dionne. The film is based on Serrano's stage play Sexo, pudor y lágrimas, which ran for two years. The film broke box-office records in Mexico, grossing MX$118 million (roughly US$11 million). It played for six months, and was seen by more than eight million people in Mexico alone, and won five Ariel Awards.
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Plot
Tomás returns to Mexico after a seven-year trip around the world, to visit his friends Carlos and Ana, a couple going through relationship problems. Ana is seduced by Tomás, who is also her ex-boyfriend, which causes Carlos to kick Tomás out of their home. Although instead of Tomás leaving, Ana leaves and moves across the street to the apartment of their friends Miguel and Andrea, another couple going through problems. The situation becomes a battle of the sexes when Miguel is kicked-out for cheating on Andrea and sent to live with the "guys" across the street and María, their friend, joins the "girls" in a boycott against all men. Tomas then has a fling with Andrea and gets caught in the act. After seeing the emptiness of his life, punctuated with him making a scene at a local nightclub, Tomas declares his love for Ana before apparently committing suicide by walking into an elevator shaft.
Alternate endings
In the Region 4 DVD version, several alternate final scenes are explored, including Tomas surviving the fall and emerging in a full body cast.
Cast
Demián Bichir as Tomás
Susana Zabaleta as Ana
Jorge Salinas as Miguel
Cecilia Suárez as Andrea
Víctor Huggo Martin as Carlos
Mónica Dionne as María
Sequel
The sequel, Sexo, pudor y lágrimas 2 was released on February 4, 2022, on HBO Max. All the cast from the first film reprise their roles except for Demián Bichir, who appears in photographs and flashbacks.
Awards
42nd Ariel Awards from the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences:
Best actress: Susana Zabaleta
Art direction: Brigitte Broch
Best original score
Best original script
Best setting
XIV Guadalajara Film Festival
Audience Award