Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Great Film overall

Beautiful, moving film.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Susana, a television hostess for a news program, had her friend Lea hired as a person to interpret for deaf people as she reads the news. The problem is that Lea is not deaf. Susana, who the producers tell they are going to get rid of Lea because they find her distracting, agonizes because she doesn't want to tell her friend, afraid what it would do to their friendship.At the same time, Ernesto, who is Lea's boyfriend, goes for an MRI at a hospital and the technicians decide to make love while he is going through the scanner. Another assistant comes in and labels the previous patient's results as though it's Ernesto's, who according to the x rays, has a malignant tumor and has only about three months to live. Ernesto, who works for a supermarket that belongs to Alberto, Susana's boyfriend, is also about to be fired because of the way he shows no interest to promote things for shoppers at the big store. Alberto, who is a loyal friend, is against having him fired.Alberto and Susana, knowing their friends are going through a rough time in their lives, invite the couple to stay with them in their big house. Things begin to change when Lea and Ernesto sense their friends are not being completely truthful to them. Which seems to be the theme of the film. Can we keep the truth from friends we love, or just be hypocrites and act as though nothing is wrong, which is what Lea and Ernesto ask their hosts. At the same time, Susana, who is going to marry Alberto, begins to realize she likes Ernesto and the same thing goes for Lea, who finds in her boyfriend's best friend a kind soul.This Spanish sex comedy is directed with great style by Alvaro Fernandez Armero. He also collaborated on the screen play, in which he questions how can friends can hurt more than help by holding vital information that will affect their lives. The director kept the comedy under tight rein and at less than ninety minutes, this movie has the right length.Best thing in the film is Maria Esteve, who shows a knack for comedy and a great chemistry with the other actors, especially her relationship with Susana, played with ease by Natalia Verbeke. The male actors are equally up to task. Tristan Ulloa, who is excellent in these types of comedies, and Oscar Jaenada, appear as Ernesto and Alberto. The four principals show they can do great work with the right material and guidance, something not found too often.

Spanish films and especially Spanish comedies have a very subtle touch to them. Humour is a tool very skillfully used in this movie and is guaranteed to appeal to those looking for a light, yet meaningful comedy.The actors' performances are brought up to high levels, and although this isn't a film thriving for a place at the Oscars, it is very well done, with good directing and music.The action of the movie develops around 4 characters, more exactly 2 couples. One of them is Ernesto and Lea, and the other Alberto and Susana. The first of them are a middle class couple, with Ernesto a kind of laid-back individual and Lea a very ambitious TV translator for deaf watchers. The 2nd couple represent the friends that always have more than you. Alberto and Ernesto are very good friends, Ernesto working for his friend's father. When Ernesto is diagnosed with terminal-faze brain tumor, things start to complicate.A great movie, for ala.Rating: 9/10

Ernesto is not happy with his life, he and his girlfriend Lea live in the shadow of their rich friends, Susana and Alberto. But when Ernesto, due to a medical mistake, thinks that he has cancer and is going to die in 3 months, all changes, lies are forbidden and the most cruel truth will appear in their lives. A good script for a well built story. Only 6 actors for something that could perfectly be a theatre drama. The character and the personality of the characters is depth and structured, and the film takes its time (no more than the essential) to describe how are they, their likes and their fears. The actors are not bad, but I think that they are not as good as they could be (all are good actors), only Jaenada plays a really good part, and that splits the result. This is a drama about how can change our living a little excess of faithfully, the fact that we live in a world of lies and half-truth. It is not totally well done, but the result is decent.

Four actors in a state of grace, a simple yet clever screenplay and an engaging story make of "El juego de la verdad" an extremely watchable movie. With only six characters and their relationships to play with, Álvaro Fernández Armero achieves his best film so far in the shape of an intelligent and entertaining comedy.Tristán Ulloa is charming as the leading character, Natalia Verbeke has never been so sexy, and Oscar Jaenada plays winningly against type. But the heart and soul of the film is María Esteve, whose personal acting skills make all her performances appealing and unaffected. In this case she is the highlight of the movie as Lea, the protagonist's troubled girlfriend.I don't think anybody will feel disappointed with "El juego de la verdad". If you're looking for a fairly entertaining movie and four great performances by four great actors, this is your film.Overall rating: 7/10