What's the fuss all about?

Rating: 5/10 (8 January 2007)

Yeah, this one's OK I suppose. Very imaginative I have to say.
But I think that, apart from the girl's fantasies, the storyline is a bit weak and not really believable. Set just after the Spanish civil war, it's too stereotypical. The mother of a young girl is struggling very hard with the pregnancy of a second child. But her husband, who she's gone to stay with, the captain of his army is evil and doesn't care about her, only about his baby "boy" he is convinced to be having. The scene where they're all gathered around a table having dinner is what caps it off for me. He just insults her to everyone and wouldn't even let her hold his hand. The acting here is poor and too over-the-top. The evil baddie status of the husband is one we've seen far too often in film and is just too extreme here.
There's also too many "Ooh I din't see THAT one coming" moments. Like the bit where the captain conveniently finds a small amount of antibiotics in the woods. He has a really kind doctor, antibiotics are found amongst where his enemies, the good guys, have just been. Mutiny? Never!
That said, the young girl's fantasies are moving and artistic.
But I think this film has had so much praise based solely on the fact that it's in a foreign language and seen by many an English speaking audience. In that way, the film's different... but does that mean it's good?
I think it's over-rated.