Smoke and Mirrors: while Alberto Rodríguez’s film doesn’t provide much insight and sense of the characters it portrays (and there is a bit of reason for it, since they are duplicitous men that play it close to their vest), the plot is so intricate and intriguing it basically makes up for that flaw. It’s one of those “inspired by true events” stories that, even if taking major poetic licenses with the truth, proves that the truth can be pretty weird sometimes. Acting is, for the most part, very quiet, as the characters don’t call for high histrionics; Eduard Fernández is quite good as the mastermind at the center of it all, and Jose Coronado is likewise efficient as the narrator; Carlos Santos has a more dramatic journey, and his slow descent into loss of control is very well performed. The film looks very polished, with cinematographer Alex Catalán’s images getting a lot of lustre out of the varied (and attractive) locations and well-done period recreation. Editor José M. G. Moyano keeps the complicated narrative crystal-clear, always moving along nicely. Julio de la Rosa’s musical score is an unusual but inspired choice, as it keeps the tension going.