Chill Out!
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Chill Out! poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Félix Sabroso
Dunia Ayaso
| writer = {{ubl|Félix Sabroso|Dunia Ayaso}}
| native_name = {{Infobox name module|es|Descongélate!|nolink=yes}}
| producer = {{ubl|Agustín Almodóvar|Jaume Roures|Antón Reixa}}
| starring = {{ubl|Pepón Nieto|Candela Peña|Loles León|Rubén Ochandiano}}
| cinematography = Kiko de la Rica
| editing = José Salcedo
| music = Mariano Marín
| studio = {{ubl|El Deseo|Mediapro|Filmanova}}
| country = Spain
| language = Spanish
| distributor = Warner Sogefilms
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2003|07||L'Alfàs del Pi|2003|08|22|Spain}}
}}
Chill Out! ({{langx|es|Descongélate!|links=no}}) is a 2003 Spanish comedy film written and directed by Félix Sabroso and Dunia Ayaso which stars Pepón Nieto, Candela Peña, Loles León, and Rubén Ochandiano.
Plot
Set in a multicultural neighborhood of Madrid, the plot follows struggling bit-part actor and impersonator Justo Santos, who is offered a lead role by film director Aitor, with the latter promptly dying from drug overdose, seemingly thwarting Justo and Justo's family (brother Berto, wife Iris, and mother Katy) yearnings to solve their dire economic hardships.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Pepón Nieto as Justo Santos
- Candela Peña as Iris
- Loles León as Katy
- Rubén Ochandiano as Berto
- Pilar Castro as Anita
- Óscar Jaenada as Aitor
- José Ángel Egido
- Roberta Marrero as Nona{{Cite web|url=https://www.laprovincia.es/dominical/2023/09/03/20-anos-rodaje-feliz-91637707.html|website=La Provincia|title=20 años de un rodaje "feliz"|date=3 September 2023|first=Miguel|last=Ayala|publisher=Prensa Ibérica}}
- Carmen Machi{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotogramas.es/noticias-cine/g24433462/el-angel-y-otras-19-peliculas-producidas-por-el-deseo/|website=Fotogramas|title=‘El Ángel’ y otras 19 películas producidas por El Deseo|first=Juan|last=Silvestre|date=31 August 2018}}
}}
Production
The film is an El Deseo, Mediapro, and Filmanova production, with the participation of Telemadrid, Canal+, and Antena 3.
Release
The film screened at the 15th L'Alfàs del Pi Film Festival in July 2003.{{Cite web|website=El País|date=13 July 2003|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2003/07/13/cvalenciana/1058123899_850215.html|title=El vallisoletano Iván Sáinz, mejor director de cortos en L'Alfàs}} Distributed by Warner Sogefilms, it was released theatrically in Spain on 22 August 2003.{{Cite web|website=Fotogramas|date=29 May 2008|title=Descongélate|url=https://www.fotogramas.es/peliculas-criticas/a10023/descongelate/}} It opened to a so-so €222,000 opening weekend gross at the domestic box office, but good word-of-mouth took it to €1.1 million after four weeks.
Reception
Jonathan Holland of Variety considered that the helmers' disposable work in earlier films "settles down into something like maturity without losing its contempo edge, and first-rate performances discover unsuspected depths in the derivative, over-the-top plotline about people frantically trying to improve their lot".{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/chill-out-2-1200539063/|website=Variety|title=Chill Out!|first=Jonathan|last=Holland|date=23 September 2003}}
Jennifer Green of ScreenDaily deemed to film to be a "a sharp yet ultimately gentle comedy".{{Cite web|website=ScreenDaily|first=Jennifer|last=Green|title=Chill Out (Descongelate)|url=https://www.screendaily.com/chill-out-descongelate/4015117.article|date=19 September 2003}}