by Keily Oakes BBC News Online entertainment staff

Acting heavyweight John Malkovich makes his directorial debut with the Dancer Upstairs - a movie that mixes political unrest with romance.

The movie is based on the book by Nicholas Shakespeare about the hunt for the leader or Peru's notorious guerrilla organisation The Shining Path.

Although Shakespeare has written the screenplay the film is more ambiguous, leaving blank the country, period and terrorist group, simply setting it in an unspecified region of South America.

There are no big Hollywood names in the cast, just a list of fine actors from around the world, few of which have English as a first language.

Malkovich chose a difficult subject to tackle

Javier Bardem, who was nominated for an Oscar for Before Night Falls, plays the dedicated police detective Rejas, who is charged with finding the guerrilla leader Ezequiel, who is employing child suicide bombers and schoolgirl assassins to kill.

Rejas is filled with the desire to bring about peace and justice.

He trained as a lawyer but left the well-paid profession because of the corruption surrounding it.

And Bardem plays him as charismatic, charming and a genuine good guy rather than a sanctimonious character.

He is devoted to his family but is drawn to his young daughter's ballet teacher Yolanda, played by Laura Morante.

It is refreshing that the pair do not fall into bed at the drop of the hat.

We just see the two of them connecting on a higher level but with the knowledge that there is danger ahead.

Bardem gives Regas dignity

Rejas struggles to keep his family and professional life separate as he embarks on one of his hardest assignments, to stop Ezequiel before he and his members strike again.

But Bardem manages to give Rejas dignity and win sympathy despite straying with Yolanda.

You will him to succeed against the corruption that surrounds him and his police team.

There is much violence and horrific scenes in this film but there is also a gentle pace.

There is a great similarity between Bardem and Malkovich in their precise and commanding acting.

The Dancer Upstairs tackles the serious theme of terrorism but the film also manages to produce laughs, mainly through Rejas' sidekick Sucre, played by Juan Diego Botto.

Malkovich should be applauded for choosing such a difficult, yet poignant subject to tackle in his first role as a director.

This is intelligent, engaging and beautiful to watch, steering clear of fairy tale endings and Hollywood cliches.