Paper Birds

Classy period dramas don't seem like a natural fit in the modern Spanish cinema aesthetic, and this proves to be the case here. A premise that might have been handled flawlessly by a British or American director quickly turns to mawkish melodrama and gratingly awkward comedy. The oh-so-contemporary "my two dads" gimmick feels totally out of place in 1940 and the vaudeville acts are embarrassing. Only in the last 20 minutes does the film redeem itself with some proper tension and intensity.

Too sentimental and "tear-squeezing" but still a good film.