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| Movie Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona Alternate Title: Delicioso
Story: Writer and director Woody
Allen delivers his latest film hitting many of his signature notes.
We get to meet wealthy people living in beautiful spaces, eating fabulous
food and drinking expensive wine all while anguishing over love, life
and the meaning of it all. If you like these familiar themes you will
adore the fourth in his string of European venues. This time out we
are in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - Barcelona. He
has filled this film with two of Spains' living treasures, Javier Bardem
and Penelope Cruz. Ole! Vicky and Cristina are young Americans spending
their summer in Barcelona. Vicky, the stable, predictable student of
Catalan culture is to be married to her Docker wearing fiance in the
fall. Cristina is the impetuous one who is looking for something - just
not sure what it is. While sumptuously dining, they meet Juan Antonio,
a Spanish painter who invites them to fly away for the weekend to sightsee,
dine, drink and make love. And so the story continues.. Will they go with this irresistible man? Will they take the plunge
and let life take a different turn? What will happen to their directed
paths afterward? I won't spoil the fun for you. Go see this delicious
film, watch combustible Spanish actors, see the beautiful city of Barcelona
and have a grand ride. Enjoy the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR2sK2sv6IE Acting: Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio is, as always,
terrific. I have praised him before and can only say ditto.
Penélope Cruz as Maria Elena, is better than ever. Her
appearance on screen with Bardem knocks all the other actors visually
to the side. Scarlett Johansson as Cristina does not
have the heft in her acting arsenal to compete with Cruz and Bardem.
English actor Rebecca Hall as Vicky, does an adequate
job in her role. Patricia Clarkson, Kevin Dunn, and
Chris Messina are the three supporting actors who move
the story forward with ease.
Trivia: Javier Bardem comes from the Spanish family
equivalent of the American Barrymores. His Best Actor nomination for
Before Night Falls (2000) made him the first Spanish actor to receive
an Academy Award nomination and his Best Supporting Actor victory for
No Country for Old Men (2007) made him the first Spanish actor to win
an Academy Award. Ten years ago, a stranger in a disco asked him his
name. When Javier replied, the man punched him in the face for no apparent
reason, breaking his nose. Has four Goya Awards (the Spanish equivalent
of the Oscar). Bardem is also a painter in real life.
Predilection: I like Bardem, Barcelona and Woody
Allen.
Critters: Caged birds
Food: There are many scenes with yummy looking Spanish
fare. You will get hungry.
Sex Spectrum: For Woody Allen, there is quite a bit
of sex. Little showing, but lots of implication of sex. Then of course
there is the much talked about menage a trois or as they say in Spanish
- hogar tiene tres.
Blatant Product Placement: None
Soundtrack: Beautiful Spanish guitar and music replace
Woody Allen's Manhattan sounds of Gershwin.
Opening Titles: Same Woody Allen treatment as always.
White type over black background with the cast appearing in alphabetical
order.
Visual Art: Wonderful eye candy. Barcelona, Gaudi,
golden saturated light. I want to go back again.
Theater Audience: Crowded
Weather: The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: 0
Predictability Level: High
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: I suspect Penelope Cruz will get a
best supporting nod.
Nit Picking: The ever present narrator was a bit
annoying.
Big Screen or Rental: Big screen for sure. Woody
Allen's three other European films are Match Point, Scoop and Cassandra's
Dream.
Length: 100 minutes
LOBO HOWLS: 8 |