Gay Madrid lawyer Daniel (Fernando Guillén Cuervo) is a 40 year-old wealthy, spoiled, and attractive businessman who falls for 23 year-old Kyril (Dritan Biba), a hunky, muscular, sexy Bulgarian. Daniel frequents the Madrid party scene surrounding himself with a bunch of gay men who constantly camp it up, swoon over the Bulgarian hunks, and talk about their latest boyfriends. Kyril is looking for a wealthy sugar daddy, someone who will give him money and presents, and also "fix his papers" so that he can stay in Spain. He targets Daniel and after a night of hot sweaty sex, Daniel becomes hooked regardless of the fact that Kyril has a fiancée. None of Kyril's shortcomings seem to bother Daniel, who invites the Bulgarian into his life, and quickly becomes entangled in his new lover's shady business dealings.
Kyril is obviously hiding something. And Daniel begins to get suspicious when Kyril keeps asking for more money. Soon Daniel is forced to have surreptitious dealings with Eastern European mobsters and is asked to store a suspicious-looking black bag in his apartment. Daniel's emotionally masochistic tendencies become even more outlandish when he allows Kyril's beautiful fiancée Kalina (Anita Sinkovic) to stay, and even accompanies them to Sofia for their wedding while also paying for their trip.
Daniel's obsession with Kyril lands him in all sorts of trouble. Throughout the film he ruminates on the price that one must pay for love. He's part hard-core masochist and part impossible romantic, in love with a man who is a selfish opportunist merely out to make a quick buck by any means, including robbery and smuggling. But the twist is that Daniel is not the exploited, subjugated victim. He willingly chases after other boys, recklessly aids and abets his live-in stud, and even admits to his friends and the viewers that he does it because he can afford it.
This Spanish comedic thriller is seductive, mysterious and surprisingly funny, featuring the Bulgarian mob, bundles of money, and a chunk of uranium. The performances are excellent and totally believable. Romantic and sexual encounters between Daniel and Kyril--which include full frontal nudity--are more realistic than American films, gay or straight. The movie cleverly examines the interplay of sex, power and money with a breezy, almost comical attitude without being overly preachy. There's also social detail, which shows the relationship between the Spanish and the Eastern European immigrants. Dritan Biba as Kyril has sexual charisma and magnetism that helps viewers understand why Daniel becomes enamored with him. Antonio Meliveo composed the music. Fernando Guillén Cuervo, Antonio Hens, and Eloy de la Iglesia wrote the screenplay based on a novel by Eduardo Mendicutti. Eloy de la Iglesia directed. In Spanish with English subtitles. The English title is "Bulgarian Lovers".
