I have never seen any of the Indiana Jones films. I have never seen a James Bond film. And I had never seen a Woody Allen film. The main reason was –don’t ask me why- that I always assumed that his films were weird and that I would not understand them. So when my boyfriend told me he had got Vicky Cristina Barcelona for me to watch, I wasn’t too sure that I was going to give it a try. However, one very boring evening with nothing better to do, I thought I would start the film and see what it was like.
The film opens up as Vicky and Cristina, two best friends, arrive from America to spend the summer in Barcelona.
A narrator (Christopher Evan Welch) tells us how different the two young women are in their conception of love.
Vicky (Rebecca Hall) is more reserved, and down-to-earth. She values stability the most and has just got engaged to a very respectable and successful man.
Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) is the total opposite. She is looking for passionate irrational love, and has had many unsuccessful relationships. She is not sure what it is that she really expects from love but is determined to find out, therefore gives herself entirely and suffers the consequences.
One night, at an art exhibition, Cristina notices Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) and learns that he is a painter, recently divorced from a crazy wife who tried to kill him.
Later, at dinner, Juan Antonio approaches the two friends and offers them to come with him to Oviedo to spend the weekend sightseeing, eating well, drinking wine and making love! Vicky is profoundly offended and tells him where to go. However, Cristina seems flattered and spontaneously accepts the invitation. Vicky tries her best to dissuade her but with no success, so reluctantly follows her best friend to Oviedo.
The film will then evolve around both women’s relationship with Juan Antonio as well as his crazy ex-wife (Penelope Cruz) in a summer that could change their perception of love forever.
As soon as I started watching, I was gripped. I found the voice-over narration throughout the film quite pleasant and it kept me wanting to know more about what was going to happen.
The film is set around various sites of Barcelona, and gives a really great atmosphere of Spain. Watching it felt just like being there on a hot summer night with the sound of the guitars. I thought the film was really good at making you feel the ambience, and it definitely made me want to go to Barcelona again.
The acting in general was really good. Penelope Cruz in particular, is really perfect in the role of the psychotic passionate ex-wife. She is extremely convincing and made her character hilarious but credible. I am glad she won the Oscar for it, as, even though I hadn’t seen all the films that were nominated, I thought her performance was amazing.
My only disappointment I feel, was the ending. I do not want to ruin it for you so if you don’t want to know too much, I would advise that you stop reading.
It basically leaves things unresolved; Cristina and Vicky have learnt a lot about themselves, yet, remain unchanged. Vicky is now stuck in a relationship we’re not sure she will be happy in, and Cristina still doesn’t know what she is looking for. It made me a little hungry for more to be honest, even though I can see it is more realistic and believable than a Hollywood-style happy ending and suited the film more.
In brief, I really enjoyed the film. It has a good mix of humour and romance, great music, wonderful settings and atmosphere. It was, against my assumptions, perfectly easy for me to understand and only weird enough to be brilliant. My first Woody Allen, but not last!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: John Duigan - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Charlize Theron, Stuart Townsend, Penelope Cruz
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
It's the film that critics are hailing as Woody Allan's return to form. Vicky Cristina ... more
Barcelona has become one of the most talked about movies of the year. A sizzling erotically charged relentlessly hilarious and touching romantic comedy that won Pe...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
It?s the film that critics are hailing as Woody Allan?s return to form. Vicky Cristina ... more
Barcelona has become one of the most talked about movies of the year. A sizzling, erotically charged, relentlessly hilarious and touching romantic comedy that won Pe...
It?s the film that critics are hailing as Woody Allan?s return to form. Vicky Cristina ... more
Barcelona has become one of the most talked about movies of the year. A sizzling, erotically charged, relentlessly hilarious and touching romantic comedy that won Pe...
Mar 8th, 2009
exceptional by (2%):
very helpful by (97%):
helpful by (1%):
