▁from ▁a ▁mental ▁dis order . ▁ ▁Cast ▁Julian ▁S ands ▁as ▁Manuel ▁Ram as anta ▁El sa ▁P ata ky ▁as ▁Barbara ▁John ▁Sh arian ▁as ▁Antonio ▁David ▁G ant ▁as ▁Professor ▁Phili ps ▁Gary ▁Pi quer ▁as ▁District ▁Att orney ▁Luci ano ▁de ▁la ▁Bast ida ▁Mar u ▁Val div iel so ▁as ▁Maria ▁L una ▁McG ill ▁as ▁Ter esa ▁Carlos ▁Re ig - P la za ▁as ▁G ome z ▁I v ana ▁Ba qu ero ▁as ▁Ana ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁In ▁Vari ety , ▁critic ▁Jonathan ▁Holland ▁wrote : ▁" Sp in ning ▁something ▁cinemat ically ▁new ▁out ▁of ▁ly can th ropy ▁is ▁always ▁a ▁challenge , ▁but ▁director ▁Pac o ▁Pla za ▁inter mitt ently ▁ach ieves ▁it ▁with ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁feature . ▁( ...) ▁Off be at ▁pic ▁is ▁clever ly ▁ambigu ous ▁where ▁it ▁counts ; ▁however , ▁it ▁la cks ▁dram atic ▁focus . ▁( ...) ▁S ands ' ▁w olf ish ▁vis age ▁provides ▁an ▁appropri ately ▁se xy ▁combination ▁of ▁att raction ▁and ▁threat , ▁and ▁script ▁is ▁clever ▁enough ▁to ▁co ax ▁out ▁some ▁sympathy ▁for ▁him ▁during ▁the ▁final ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes . ▁As ▁Barbara , ▁P ata ky ▁turns ▁in ▁a ▁career - best ▁perf ." ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁Rom as anta ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Spanish ▁awards , ▁including ▁two ▁Go ya ▁Awards ▁( Best ▁Cin emat ography ▁and ▁Best ▁Special ▁Effect s ) ▁and ▁two ▁Barcelona ▁Film ▁Awards ▁(