It's amazing how unremarkable this film manages to become. Its concept could have been nice though. It's about a company of Spanish movie makers that moves to Hitler's Germany to work on an international co-production. That part is based on a true story, co-productions between the Fascist European were not unusual, although the quality of those films left much to be desired. Sadly, the same thing happens in this film, that wastes the opportunity to become as witty as To Be or Not To Be when lead actress Macarena (Penelope Cruz) falls in love with a Russian Jew, one of the ones that had been called on as extras, and ends up helping him get away, while dodging the flirtatious advances of Goebbels. In fact, sadly, the film feels more like something like Tea With Mussolini than To Be or Not to Be. It doesn't help that the film doesn't run smoothly. It's quite a bumpy ride; the fault here lies either in the screenplay or in the editing. If it is the screenplay, then the fact that there are so many supporting characters does not play well in it. In fact, a lot of the small scenes that play out in the movie and that regard the supporting characters even get in the way, worse then that, they are picked up, then are forgotten, pushed along the sidelines after taking up precious movie time, like the German lead actor's homosexuality (a little out of place and of bad taste seeing as Hitler's Germany sought to exterminate homosexuals as well). But worst of all is the way it disregards some other things that seemed to have had a great emotional importance in the development of the characters. Macarena in fact has a father in one of Franco's prisons. This should be an important aspect of the movie, but pops up every now and again all too casually, and is certainly not handled well. Another aspect that should have been vital and again is sadly overlooked is the suggested love affair between Macarena and the director of the film, this aspect is actually so hidden away that we don't know whether it should be of any relevance at all, until all of a sudden, the director seems to be putting everything in jeopardy and making a decision that will surely end his career only for her. Another thing that doesn't help is that the film shifts much too casually from melodrama to comedy, to the point that it's really hard to know what to feel anymore. This alienates the film is a crazy sort of way. It's almost as if we shouldn't take the film seriously anymore because it doesn't seem to take itself seriously. It's frustrating to see the concept of artists reluctantly facing up to the evils of Hitler's Germany in such a casual way. The characters of the actors in particular would have been enough to charge the film with drama and comedy just by themselves. This aspect is never taken advantage of, the funny moments seem as forced as the dramatic moment, and all this does is build an aura of artificiality that doesn't help our emathising with them and their individual goals, whether small or important. Unfortunately, this film isn't as interesting as it could have been virtually under every aspect, and not only does it feel like a wasted opportunity and a waste of good initial ideas, but a mediocre work under all levels except for the solid production design and art direction work. Eventually, the film also loses the pace and makes it even easier to lose interest. The acting is nothing much, and I believe it should only have particular relevance in the resume of Penelope Cruz because it gave her a Premio Goya. WATCH FOR THE MOMENT - The film crew goes out for dinner on their first night in Germany. They go to a Jewish restaurant. Bad choice.

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