Cinema Voyage - Michael Pearson

This blog is PRIMARILY about movies. Some dvd and some that are still in the theater. Also, links are provided on some movies if you decide you want to purchase it. Also, I write and read quite a bit. So, you may, from time to time see a book review here from an up-and-coming author or an interview with one. If you have a book that you have written, please don't hesitate to contact me if you want an unbiased opinion. I would be happy to read and review what you've written. We should value our creative people more.

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Review - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

January 12th 2009 12:44

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is the third movie (following Scoop and Match Point) in which Scarlett Johansson and Woody Allen reunite together as lead actress and director. Love, relationships and sex are the subjects brought to the table in their latest pairing and along with it the usual neuroses' attributed to many of the characters in Allen's films.

As the title indicates, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) are two American girls holidaying in Barcelona for two months during the summer with Vicky's distant relatives. Vicky is completing her masters degree in Catalan identity while Cristina has recently completed a 12 minute short film which she subsequently hated. As introduced by the wry narrator (Christopher Evan Welch), even though the two girls had been best friends since college, when it came to the subject of love there couldn't be two more dissimilar viewpoints. Vicky, recently engaged, was realistic looking for seriousness and stability while Cristina, recently single, accepted suffering as a component of love and was a romantic in terms of her approach to love.

On an outing one evening at an art gallery, Cristina spots a man across the gallery and they are informed that the man is Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), a local painter recently involved in a controversial divorce. At a restaurant that same evening Juan approaches the girls asking them if they would like to accompany them to Oviedo for great food, good wine, and love-making. Whilst Vicky is totally against the idea of going anywhere with Juan, let alone into his bed, Vicky is intrigued by the offer, convincing her friend to accompany her on the trip.

The focus hereon in lies in the girl's involvements with Juan and his subsequent connection with his unstable ex-wife Maria Elena, fantastically portrayed by Penelope Cruz, who shines in her natural tongue. Javier Bardem oozes creative aloofness and sexiness and is a far cry from his menacing role in No Country for Old Men. Some funny moments to be had, particularly in the scene where Maria Elena interrogates Vicky about her choice to study Chinese instead of Spanish, because it was a pretty language.

A casual affair on all accounts, Barcelona seemed to be very inspirational in terms of the setting, soundtrack and the characters located within this amazing fairy tale like city.

Voyage Review: 3.5/5

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Posted By: Michelle Sweeney - Category: Comedy

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