Como Dios manda

Leo Harlem puts himself in the shoes of Andrés Cuadrado, a Ministry of Treasury official, a man as God intended. He is extremely conservative and really traditional thoughful and whose comments are always out of place. After an unfortunate confrontation with a co-worker, he is sanctioned and transferred to the Ministry of Equality, where everything is new for him. There he will have to catch up to adapt to this new order of things. Here he will learn that it is "as God commands" it is not what he thought.

Bemusing, funny and cheerful film, a comedy with direct, white and tenderly provocative humor, filled with comical set-pieces, tongue-in-cheek and lots of giggles. The idea is decent, as from the first frame it does not escapes the contemporary Spanish style, developing through the ordinary elements of the recent Spanish comedies. As our likeable protagonist becomes involved into omprobable situations in which many viewers will feel identified, which provokes spontaneous laughs, and not subject it to ridicule; gives him a positive game, and offers him the opportunity to show that he also gives some life lessons to those who look down on him. The premise is simple and plain, as a loudmouth and conservative official of the Ministry of Treasury is transferred to Ministry of Equality where he meets several surprises. The key to the effective script is that it respects such basic rules of comedy as understanding its characters, establishing a certain complicity with the audience, but finally this results in a propaganda film with the usual tics and cliches. The jokes come as thick and fast, hit and miss as usual and it is done in good spirit if not always in good taste. Nice picture with accent on sight gags, and the characteristic starring, displaying a humour that stems from the diverting roles established in other movies. There are some nice jokes in the film and the charming cast playing eccentric characters. The main key is the sympathetic script by Marta Sánchez, a professional forged in the iconic series '7 Lives', that's why it respects such basic rules of comedy as understanding her characters, looking at them with tenderness, and establishing an agreeable complicity with the spectator. Director delivers a professional work, her knack of getting the most out of characters and situations without ever going over the top makes for some very big laughter to enjoy the audience. Portrait of a diverse and plural society like the current one, the film caricaturizes both sides of political trends, right and left sides, exaggerating all those features that make them recognizable. Typical film subsidized by the Ministry of Equalty, describing the peculiar recent society and certain prejudices of gender, sexuality, belief and status.

Here the main show is, of course, Leo Harlem who gives a real recital in his usual style. He's one of the best Spanish stand-up players, although he also has a worthy career in film comedy playing main or secondary roles that include films, such as: "Superagente Mackey, A todo tren 2, si les ha pasado otra vez, Por los pelos una historia de autoestima, Padre no hay más que uno 3 , El refugio, ¡A todo tren! Destino Asturias, Hasta que la boda nos separe, El mejor verano de mi vida, Padre no hay más que uno, Perdiendo el este, Villaviciosa de al lado, Torrente 5" , among others. He's accompanied by a fine support cast , such as : Julián Villagrán, Daniel Pérez Prada, David Fernández, Mariola Fuentes, María Morales, y Marieta Sánchez. The film is regular but professionally directed by Paz Jiménez at his film debut, she had previously been a director assistant in various movies, such as: La habitación de Fermat, La Hija, La Peste, El vuelo del tren, A puerta fria y Cuando los ángeles duermen . Rating. 4.5/10. Only for Leo Harlem fans.