I have to admit, I was not captured by the trailer or the premise of the film. I am also not a huge Woody Allen fan. But this film works, it's weird, it's quirky, and I liked it.
The film stars Scarlett Johansson (Cristina) and Rebecca Hall (Vicky), two American tourists vacationing in Barcelona for the summer. Vicky is sensible and engaged, whereas Cristina is hopeless in love and slightly reckless. One night they meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) who invites them to stay with him for the weekend. He pursues Cristina, but then sleeps with Vicky and then his ex-wife Maria Elena returns on the scene.....
The plot is simple and the pace is relaxed, reflecting the exquisite landscape in which the film is set. It seems like a old style romance film rather than modern day, but after all this is a Woody Allen film.
The narration within it is rather annoying to say the least and I it felt like sections from a book were being read out. It pointed out obvious things, such as: 'Vicky went for walk', in which we can clearly see that Vicky is doing just that. It didn't feel right.
Things spice up when Maria Elena arrives on the scene after attempting to kill herself. She is the best character in this film and Penelope Cruz portays her unstable mind perfectly. I have never been a huge fan of Cruz in American films, but in this, she steals all her scenes and deserves her Best Supporting Actress BAFTA.
I would recommend this film to anyone wanting to watch a chilled film about love with some girl friends. This is not a film for males at all, despite the promise of a kiss between Cruz and Johansson. Rating: 3/5
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