Three men, three eras, one thread of desire, pain and inheritance. La Bola Negra moves between 1932, 1937 and 2017, and it is the most ambitious film yet from Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, the Spanish duo known as Los Javis.
It opens in around 120 UK cinemas this Friday through Altitude Films, and it has divided critics more sharply than almost anything else this week.
It is extravagant, romantic and too long, and it swings for the fences in every scene.
Movie at a Glance
- UK release: In cinemas from Friday 6 November 2026 (Altitude Films)
- US release: In limited cinemas; on Netflix from 2 December 2026
- Directors: Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo
- Writers: Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo and Alberto Conejero
- Starring: Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close
- Certificate: 15 (UK)
- Runtime: 157 minutes
- Language: Spanish with English subtitles
- Genre: Drama, music
Viewer Match
- Best for: Lovers of bold, emotional European cinema.
- Maybe skip if: Long, multi-strand films lose you.
- Mood and pace: Lush, sensual and sweeping.
- Cinema or streaming? Cinema, for the music and the images.
- Spoiler level: Spoiler-free.
Across the Century
The film braids together three stories, and the links between them unfold slowly. Los Javis are interested in queer lives hidden and revealed across Spanish history, and how the past is carried into the present.
The 1930s sections, shadowed by the coming civil war, are the most powerful.
A Feast for the Senses
This is a gorgeous film, full of music, colour and heat. Guitarricadelafuente and Miguel Bernardeau are compelling, and Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close make the most of their scenes.
At its best it has the swoon of classic melodrama.
Too Much of Everything
At more than two and a half hours, it is also exhausting. Some of the strands work better than others, and the excess that thrills some viewers will wear out others. Reviews have ranged from five stars to two.
It is never dull, but it is rarely disciplined.
Worth the Gamble?
If you like your cinema big and bold, yes. For more of this week’s choices, see this week’s Weekly Cinema Pack. For tonight, try What to Watch Tonight.
Spoiler-Free Verdict
La Bola Negra is extravagant, lush and overlong, a sprawling saga that will thrill some viewers and exhaust others. Its ambition and beauty make it hard to ignore.
- Performances: 8/10
- Direction: 7.5/10
- Screenplay: 6.5/10
- Score: 8.5/10
- Cinematography: 8.5/10
- Entertainment Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 7.5/10
Star rating: 3.5/5
Verdict badge: One for Fans
One-line verdict: A bold, beautiful and divisive epic of desire.
Watch the Official Trailer
Watch the official UK trailer from Altitude Films.
Have you seen La Bola Negra? Which era gripped you most?