A modern sensibility afflicts much of the screenplay, with characters expressing thoughts and opinions for our ears rather than acting as people of that era.
– Kirk Honeycutt,
Hollywood Reporter,
8 Aug 2007
fresh:
It's a richly seen and felt movie, but not one with a feel-good message.
– Richard Nilsen,
Arizona Republic,
9 Aug 2007
rotten:
Think of it as an Amadeus that doesn't work.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
23 Aug 2007
rotten:
Captures the essence of the period -- an intriguing, backward era in Spain -- but without the emotional impact that such a film requires.