This film, John Malkovich's debut as a director, seems to go out of its way to be everything a commercial film is not, which is a hugely commendable thing up to a point. Bardem is unbelievably restrained in this exercise; in fact the entire film is an exercise in restraint. I think what the movie needed was just a little more passion, some change in tone at some point to truly bring it to life.
Review of The Dancer Upstairs
