Director: Woody Allen
Vicky Cristina Barcelona -- The Portrait of Two Ladies.
This film is typical of a lot of Woody's mid-range work. It involves affluent characters at various levels of sophistication, involved in the arts and the intrigues of love.
The movie shows two women Vicky & Cristina, both best f friends, but think differently when talked about love. Vicky is shown to be a very earnest & sensible woman with the pitch-perfect American accent that the new generation of Brit professionals has mastered while Cristina is portrayed as a saucy blonde, sexually-adventurous kind.
Wilderness of a heart that knows what it wants even when the rest of the body does not! Sensible Vicky (Rebecca Hall) insists that she knows what she wants - her dull fiancee in New York, for one while dreamy Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) does not.
The two girls go to Barcelona, the lovely Spanish city to spend their weekend. But their adventures don't start until they meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) who plays the picasso-ish artist who floors 'em when he expresses his desire to take the girls out for a weekend where they would also engage in love-making. On this Vicky feels offended but it raises a girlish excitement in Cristina. Before you think this to be a love triangle, hold your horses. C'mon, Woody ain't that stupid. Maria Elena (Penelope), Juan's ex-wife, steps in with a tousled hair and thus the screen lights up. She makes you want to lick the screen. Boy, she looks combustible. Phew! Everything she does and says seems to mean more, count for more. Penelope plays a sexy siren with a pulse of a real woman. She alters between speakin Spanish & English with a lovely voice. Maria's & Juan's scenes are the best in the movie. They quarrel in Spanish which is a pleasure to watch.
Penelope won an Oscar for this film. Watch it and you'll know why.
In the meantym, Vicky, leaving her guilt aside, has already made love to Juan and as a result falls in love with him. Juan on the other hand likes Cristina more and advices Vicky to forget him & marry Doug, her NY based fiancee which she finds hard to do. But she does. They get engaged but Vicky cant resist thinking bout Juan. Juan meanwhile juggles between Cristina and Maria. Maria and Cristina kiss. This would make you lick the screen. Yeah.. yet again.
Mr. Allen also uses narrative story telling to fill in the gaps.
Witty script, excellent photography, unexpected arrivals and developments and brilliant acting makes the film watchable. This is one film you wouldn't want to miss. The actors are attractive, the city is magnificent, the love scenes don't get all sweaty, and everybody finishes the summer a little wiser and with a lifetime of memories. I mean.. what's not to quite like?
If u ask me to describe the film in a word, the word would be 'Passionate'
P.S. Mild violence, discreet sex.
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