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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Bola, El
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Foreign
Written by:
Verónica Fernández
Achero Mañas
Directed by: Achero Mañas
Release Date:
Theatrical: December 13, 2002
Running Time: 88 minutes, Color
Origin: Spain
Language(s): Spanish (with English subtitles)
Summary
RATING: Not Rated
Starring Juan José Ballesta, Pablo Galán, Alberto Jiménez, Manuel Morón, Ana Wagener, Nieve de Medina, Gloria Muñoz, and Javier Lago
Mañas's film vividly brings viewers into a world of fathers and sons in which perception doesn't always match reality. (Film Movement)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
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...
Village Voice Leslie Camhi
At once subtle and visceral, the film never succumbs to the trap of the maudlin or tearful, offering instead with its unflinching gaze a measure of faith in the future.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
This is quick and unpredictable storytelling, its dialogue simple but tough. Alberto Jimenez is excellent as the conscience-stricken father, whose duty to respect the law tests his relationship with his own son, and both kids, Juan Jose Ballesta and Pablo Galan, give passionate, committed performances.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jami Bernard
Could easily serve as an instructional video for repressive regimes who have not yet learned you can get more with honey than with vinegar.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder
Despite an abrupt ending, Mana gives us compelling, damaged characters who we want to help -- or hurt. Perhaps most important, El Bola forces us examine our personal motivations for each impulse and their consequences.
Read Full Review >New York Post V.A. Musetto
Spanish director Achero Manas' El Bola shows how the boys' bond leads to salvation of a sort for the needy Pellet. He does so with great sensitivity, never sinking into exploitation.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt
This drama has won an armload of international prizes, including multiple honors in Spain's equivalent of the Oscar race, marking Mañas as a director with a bright future.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
As blunt as it is in depicting child abuse, El Bola is a movie steeped in an ambiguity that lends its conflicts a symbolic resonance.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray
When El Bola isn't drawing cheap sentiment from the sight of a bruised and scarred little boy, Mañas raises vexing questions about how and why parents leave lasting impressions on their children, and whether good intentions really matter.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 10.0 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Francis S. gave it a10:
A beautiful, important, small but great movie.
Filip B. gave it a 10:
A touching story about the abuse of a 12 years old boy. The good script, the beautiful soundtrack and the performances of several actors have made this move my new favourite movie. A story of hope...
