El Crimen Perfecto (The Perfect Crime) 2005

Rafael, played by Guillermo Toledo, works as a women’s clothing clerk at a bustling department store in Madrid named Yeyo’s. Surrounded by beautiful young women, he frequently finds himself seducing them, as he despises the concept of an ordinary life. To Rafael, mediocrity is a fate worse than death; he is determined to live life by his own rules, aspiring for a luxurious house and an exquisite car. He believes in creating his own fortune and prefers action over passivity, desiring change in his life without delay.

His workplace is a visual delight, filled with perfect lighting, soothing music, vibrant colors, and delightful scents. However, Rafael shuns the idea of marriage, convinced that entering into a commitment brings an end to life’s excitement, turning a man into a mere mortgage-paying father.

Within his department, Rafael interacts with various characters, including Alonso (Fernando Tejero), a sycophantic co-worker, Roxanne (Kira Miro), a woman of insatiable sexual appetite, Jaime (Javier Gutiérrez), who had to leave law school for an unexpected marriage, and Susanna, a married mother of two who transforms into a captivating figure after years of neglect from her husband.

As a much-anticipated promotion opportunity arises at Yeyo’s, Rafael finds himself in direct competition with Don Antonio (Luis Varela), a long-serving men’s clothing clerk whom Rafael deeply disdains. The new floor supervisor’s position comes with numerous perks, including company stock and commission on sales, and might even lead to a spot on the Board of Directors. Consequently, the stakes are high, especially after the previous supervisor, Mr. Emilio, passed away from leukemia the previous Christmas.

The rivalrous tension escalates as the two vie for supremacy with monthly sales figures on the line. At one point, Don appears to hold a substantial lead over Rafael by a margin of 5,000 Euros. In a desperate attempt to overtake him, Rafael manages to sell a lavish mink coat for 12,000 Euros to a wealthy patron. However, fate takes a cruel turn when the check for the coat bounces, allowing Don Antonio to secure the promotion through sheer luck.

In a fit of rage during an altercation caused by Rafael’s insult to a customer returning the coat, Rafael accidentally kills Don Antonio. In a panic, he hides Don Antonio’s body in the store’s basement. But things take a bizarre turn when, after attempting to incinerate the body, he discovers it has vanished. It turns out Lourdes (Mónica Cervera), a nondescript clerk whom he has consistently overlooked, was a witness to the incident. She has hidden Don’s body but demands Rafael’s attention and affection in return.

Lourdes assists Rafael with the daunting task of disposing of Don’s remains and creates a fabricated alibi for the police and Inspector Campoy (Enrique Villén). Rafael finally achieves his desired promotion, but at an unthinkable price as Lourdes coerces him into beginning an unwanted relationship with threats to report him to the authorities. Rafael’s former lovers are let go, while Lourdes employs her own friends in their stead, leading to an unexpected boost in store sales.

As Rafael’s life spirals into chaos, he yearns for escape but finds every attempt thwarted by Lourdes, whose eccentric family adds yet more complications. Her demands intensify until she actually proposes marriage to him on live television, and he is obligated to support her ludicrous line of fashion designs. The pressure weighs heavily on him, prompting hallucinations of Don Antonio, who suggests to Rafael that perhaps eliminating Lourdes might be the only solution.

In a climactic moment, Rafael stages his own death in a fire at the department store, evading both law enforcement and his wife. Fast forward five years, Rafael, now living under an assumed identity, operates a modest business selling ties and socks. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, Lourdes has found success and wealth from her quirky clothing line. The film concludes with Rafael dumbfounded at a clown-themed fashion show, witnessing Lourdes’ triumphant catwalk, with a massive digital display declaring, “Our Love Is Forever.”