AllMovie

Spanish director Manuel Martín Cuenca’s black comedy is based on Javier Cercas’ novella of the same name. Javier Gutierrez plays a disenfranchised notary who is envious of his wife’s success as a popular author. Determined to write a novel of serious literary merit but without any inspiration of his own, he begins to spy on his neighbors for material. His methods become even more questionable as he meddles in their lives to instigate dramatic conflicts.