Reviewer's Rating 3 out of 5
To Die In San Hilario (Morir En San Hilario) (2006)
12aContains two uses of strong language

Amiable but slight, To Die In San Hilario is a comedy of misunderstanding that revolves around Piernas Germ谩n (Lluis Homar), a gangster who stumbles across the sleepy town of the title, a place where they stick 'em in the ground with style. Mistaken for the rich artist who'd booked a classy burial, he shuffles towards a predictable redemption. And we do mean shuffle, Laura Ma帽谩's film being paced like a funeral cort猫ge. Still, it occasionally charms and there's a satisfying send-off.

"The cemetery is our past, our present and our future," muses one of the townsfolk as they await the arrival of the ready-to-die moneybags whose internment will boost their ailing reputation. Meanwhile, Germ谩n is on the run with the million-dollar booty from a botched bank robbery. A leap from a moving train lands him in San Hilario, where he receives an unexpectedly warm welcome.

"PACED LIKE A FUNERAL CORT猫GE"

You can more or less guess the rest. Of course, there are loveable folksy eccentrics everywhere you turn (notably aspiring artist Ferran Ra帽茅). Of course, Germ谩n gradually learns to be a better man. And of course, this is mostly due to the love of a good woman, in this case widow Esther (sympathetically played by Ana Fern谩ndez).

Rather than exploit the story's potential for some Ealing-esque black laughs, writer/director Ma帽谩 tends towards soft-hearted whimsy. She contrives a couple of chuckle-worthy situations (one involving Germ谩n having to paint a mural), but they're hardly what you'd call hilario. Plenty of pretty scenery to keep the eye engaged, but as a film fixated on funerals, this wants for a deeper plot.

End Credits

Director: Laura Ma帽谩

Writer: Laura Ma帽谩

Stars: Llu铆s Homer, Ferran Ra帽茅, Ana Fern谩ndez, Ulises Dumont, Juan Echanove

Genre: Comedy

Length: 99 minutes

Cinema: 11 August 2006

Country: Spain

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