Well-acted, stylish Spanish crime-drama from Ricardo Piglia's book is allegedly based on factual account from 1965 involving estranged gay lovers in Argentina who re-energize their relationship with successful, brutal crime sprees (they call themselves "The Twins"); after one particular robbery ends in gunfire and dead cops, the two go into hiding along with their accomplices in Uruguay. Despite a skittering sort of continuity that keeps a breathless momentum going--at the expense of a well-wrought narrative--the film is highly adept at setting a sweaty, prickly mood. At first, the sexual clinches (which are actually non-sexual, as one partner keeps pushing the other away) are aloof and perhaps a bit self-conscious, but the actors improve along with the film; by the finale, Nene and Ángel really do seem like doomed soul mates, helplessly intertwined. Fascinating on occasion, and handsomely produced, the picture lifts bits and pieces from its American gangster counterparts ("The Godfather", "Scarface", et al.), yet it may be braver than those while digging into the characters' sordid lives. **1/2 from ****