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Netflix's 'Murder Mystery' criticised for stereotyping Costa Del Sol

Aniston and Sandler in Murder Mystery (Credit: Netflix)
Aniston and Sandler in Murder Mystery (Credit: Netflix)

Adam Sandler's latest comedy Murder Mystery might have broken streaming records for Netflix, but it's gone down less successfully on the Costa Del Sol.

Officials in Málaga have slated the film for portraying a 'retrograde' image of the city.

Sandler's New York cop Nick and hairdresser wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) arrive in Málaga, to be greeted at their shabby tour bus by a woman dancing flamenco with a fan and a gypsy man playing guitar.

Their tour bus also misspells the Spanish version of the name González, and, as it turns out, no scenes were filmed in Málaga at all.

(Credit: Netflix)
(Credit: Netflix)

Costa del Sol tourism spokeswoman Fátima Oliva told The Guardian: “The image in this film bears no resemblance to what the Costa del Sol is really like.

“We’re more surprised than indignant. It’s a very old fashioned idea of life here, with a Gypsy at the airport and all that.

“Málaga has 37 museums and has become an important cultural tourist destination.

“The image is very retrograde. Maybe they’ve never been here or they simply prefer to play with cliches. That’s why we’ve invited them to come and see for themselves in situ.”

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The city boasts several Michelin-starred restaurants, including the three-star Dani García, a Picasso museum and an offshoot of the Centre Pompidou, The Cube, a glass cube at the city's port boasting further works from Picasso, as well as Frida Kahlo and Francis Bacon.

Málaga can perhaps take some comfort in the fact that the movie has received decidedly mixed reviews.

The Hollywood Reporter dubbed it ‘Murder on the Bore-ient Express’.