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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Don't Tempt Me (aka Bendito Infierno)

EMAILPRINTFirst Look Home Entertainment

Don't Tempt Me (aka Bendito Infierno) reviews
31
7.2 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 4 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Foreign

Written by: Agustín Díaz Yanes

Directed by: Agustín Díaz Yanes

Release Date:
Theatrical: August 22, 2003
DVD: February 17, 2004

Running Time: 118 minutes, Color / B/W

Origin: France / Italy / Spain / Mexico

Language(s): Spanish / English / French / Latin (with English subtitles)

Summary

RATING: R for language, some violence and sexual content

Starring Victoria Abril, Penélope Cruz, Demián Bichir, Fanny Ardant, Juan Echanove, Gael García Bernal, Emilio Gutiérrez Caba, and Cristina Marcos

Times have been tough for Heaven, with Hell winning the battle between good and evil. So when Heaven's managers have the opportunity to win the soul of a boxer and shift the balance of power, they send their best angel for the job, Lola Nevado (Abril). When Hell gets wind of this, they counter by sending their most experienced operative to Earth, Carmen Ramos (Cruz). The battle between Heaven and Hell is on! (First Look Pictures)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

60

LA Weekly David Chute

Perhaps only a filmmaker from a country steeped in Catholicism could turn out a consistently sharp and profane "divine comedy" (the title means "blessed hell") that is also, for the most part, theologically correct.

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50

Portland Oregonian Kim Morgan

Short on both life and laughs.

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50

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

A stylish comedy low on amusement but high on sensuality.

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40

TV Guide Ken Fox

It's hard to care even just a little when you have no idea what's at stake or why, be it Heaven or Hell.

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40

Chicago Reader Ted Shen

The color-coded cinematography is nice but the jokes are obvious and the dialogue drags whenever metaphysics gets brought up.

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38

New York Post Lou Lumenick

What starts as a fairly lighthearted satire ends in a tiresome, ultra-violent shootout -- and the film pretty much throws away the possibilities of Cruz's gender-bending role.

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38

Chicago Tribune Ellen Fox

If the filmmakers wanted to talk so much, they should have just gotten together for a long, anecdote-filled, wine-soaked Spanish dinner party and amused themselves.

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30

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

This must all make sense to Yanes, somehow, but the film plays like a private joke with no punchline.

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30

The New York Times Dave Kehr

An unfocused, overplotted, painfully derivative comic fantasy.

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20

Dallas Observer Robert Wilonsky

Bernal can't decide if he's making a Tarantino homage or an Almodovar riff or an Albert Brooks tribute...and the wobbly sensibility finally knocks the movie's legs out from beneath it altogether.

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20

Village Voice Michael Miller

Imagines Heaven and Hell as places so deeply mired in the business-as-usual hassles of earthly life that the battle between good and evil becomes a downright dull affair.

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20

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

What ensues is so glum and disjointed that the film becomes an even bigger mess.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 7.2 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Fulvio P. gave it an8:
Very unusual, and violent. I understand it, and appreciate it, although most Americans will not.

Mike H. gave it a 9:
Great acting! nice twist with penelope's character... her persona was mystifying until you find out what she had been before she made it into the 33rd level of hell. then what they made her be in hell, what a waitress. most viewers will not have the patience to take in the wide range of creativity put into the cinematography, soundtrack, dialogue, scenery... great acting!!! i can't explain why some folks don't get this kind of movie, but it is definitely worth watching! all of the actors are fantastic, especially the two main characters. plus the husband manny is totally believable as the washed up jealous boxer. we loved it.

George P. gave it a 4:
A well executed bad idea which is 90 minutes of busywork with no payoff.

Don gave it an 8:
The critics obviously don't appreciate Spanish film. In the tradition of Almodovar, this is kind of a kitschy look at heaven, hell and the state of the world. It's weird, but it should be a cult favorite. When you can rent it, rent it and see for yourself. Penelope Cruz is funny as a lesbian.

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