Mean Streak (film)

Mean Streak (Mala persona) is a 2024 Spanish-Portuguese comedy film directed by Fer García-Ruiz from a screenplay by Antonio Mercero and Daniel Padró based on an original story by Diego San José. It stars Arturo Valls alongside Malena Alterio, Julián Villagrán, and José Corbacho.

Plot
After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Pepe, a man as good as gold, decides to become a bad person so nobody misses him when he is gone.

Production
The film is a Spanish-Portuguese co-production by Rodar y Rodar, Boavista Filmes and Mala Persona AIE with the participation of RTVE, 3Cat, Triodos Bank, and Crea SGR, funding from ICAA, the collaboration of Amazon Prime, and the association of FilmFactory. It was shot on location in Bellvitge and Cornellà.

Release
The film was presented at the BCN Film Fest on 22 April 2024. It also made it to the slate of the Alicante Film Festival. Distributed by Filmax, it was scheduled to be released theatrically in Spain on 3 July 2024.

Reception
Mariona Borrull of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, deeming it a 'family-friendly' and foul-mouthed esperpento, although with no offence intended.

Enid Román Almanza of Cinemanía rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, declaring it "a film for people without children but, above all, for those who like Spanish comedies".