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It would be difficult for any filmmaker to top Iziar Bollain's previous film, Te doy mis ojos, a true masterpiece. She just preferred to change the genre. From that point of view, these Mata Haris are a bit deceiving. Was it signed by any other director, the film would be celebrated as a successful and original genre piece. The main characters are definitely believable and the film delivers a precise portrait of this day Spain, with a varied group of characters trying to live his life among the conflicts that define our modern days: Unfaithfull grooms, treacherous partners, hypocritical friends and lovers, dishonest employers... The story revolves about a group of women private eyes, the perfect excuse to peek on other peoples lives. In all it's entertaining and enjoyable, and I am sure that Mrs Bollain will deliver soon another masterpiece.

I viewed by chance Jaime de Armiñan last film, Fabian Road. I wasn't familiar with him and it awakened so much my interested that I investigated his previous films. This one is particularly engaging. It's the story of a prestigious University lecturer (Fernando Fernan Gomez)that tired with his life of responsibilities and hard work, decides to become a slave. He calls upon a former pupil (Agustin Gonzalez)who has become a successful lawyer and convinces him. The enticement is simple, by taking him as a slave, he'll gain possession of all his assets. The professor elects Stico as his slave name and moves to the family home of his new owner. Although he behaves as a good slave, his presence shakes the foundations of the family, endangers their relations and changes everything so much that the owner decides to free him. But it is no easy task. They agreed to observe the Roman Code and it limits the way an owner can free a slave to a strict set of circumstances. In all, it's an excellent and very particular exploration of human relations, specially about the meaning of freedom, the effect of wisdom on daily life and the difficulties of harmonizing social and personal life. His form as aged quite a bit, but the story, the dialogs, the moral tale are still quite moving.