Golden Balls

Bardem plays Benito Gonzalez, a hustler who dreams of building the biggest skyscraper in Benidorm. After plump, two-timing Rita (Touati) breaks his heart, he determines not to let any woman past his defences; model Claudia (Verdu) is strictly a trophy broad. He marries Marta (De Medeiros) for her money and juggles his sharp, intelligent wife and compliant mistress while doing dodgy deals and wailing along to Julio Iglesias on his home karaoke machine, showing off his Rollex and jingling his bollocks like so much small change. Director Luna mixes admiration for this full-blooded fool with a rueful warning about the dangers of machismo. Reinforcing the central image of a vaunting skyscraper - can he get it up? - are phallic symbols galore, with eggs and lobsters the key foodstuffs.