Anacleto: Agente secreto

This action comedy set in the spying world comes with an unfortunate handicap right from the start, that being that the spy spoof genre has been done to death for decades, from the Matt Helm movies to the Austin Power series. Actually, I will admit that while most of the gags in the movie (as well as some plot turns) are tired and familiar, there were some giggles here and there, as well as some genuine laughs, my favorite scene being the breakfast sequence. Though the comedy that does work is somewhat hampered by some moments of surprisingly harsh violence. But even though the movie is not as funny as you probably want it to me, it does remain surprisingly watchable. It does move from scene to scene at a quick pace, so it doesn't become boring. And the Spanish cast is very game and likable, giving the movie a buoyant spirit that gives it some spark. Obviously this is not the greatest comedy ever made, but if you are in an undemanding mood and are curious to see an example of modern day populist Spanish cinema, this is a pleasant time waster.