Mondays in the Sun

A triumph of quiet realism, a piece of sophisticated, subtle filmmaking that is both thoughtful and thought-provoking.

A tough-but-tender movie driven by perfectly modulated performances, an accomplished script and naturalistic dialogue, all at the service of an oft-told message about overcoming circumstances.

A quintessentially European, methodically paced and intelligent slice of life.

Imagine "The Full Monty" without any of the feel-good uplift, and you'd be pretty close to capturing what this bitter -- and often bitterly funny -- film from Spain is all about.

It is intensely involving at the outset, but it faces an insoluble problem: The story, like the characters, has no place to go.

Repetitious, uneventful and, in the end, dull.

Midway, Mondays in the Sun becomes as dull as a day with nothing to do.