I expected to watch a movie that depicted, apart from the Romantic and Tragic story of the Maias family, the social life, the city of Lisbon, the houses, streets... you get the point. I have read the book, so I knew what I should expect in those aspects. Boy was I wrong. I don't even think I watched a movie to begin with. I would characterize this more like a theater play. The streets, landscapes and window views were all (I mean ALL) made of what looked like cardboard paintings. It is obvious that the movie had a very, very low budget. On the upside, It had some quality comedy mixed with the drama that goes with the story, however, that doesn't make the movie less painful to watch.