My review of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"-
The very beginning of the Woody Allen film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, presents two characters that each fit into very specific and stereotypical roles. The narrator tells the audience of Vicky (British actress Rebecca Hall) the uptight, ambitious and seemingly grounded twenty-something who knows exactly what she wants out of life and love, and often gets it. Cristina, played by the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson, is her polar-opposite best friend from college, a stunning and adventurous woman who feels that love should always be dangerous, beautiful, and even painful. As expected, the two women meet new people and experience change on their summer trip to Barcelona, Spain. Not expected, however, were the turns the movie took that made this skeptical viewer both shocked and pleasantly surprised.
The character of Javier Bardem, Juan Antonio, first comes off as a totally clichéd, Don Juan of Barcelona, spying the two friends across a restaurant and boldly inviting them to spend the weekend with him in the Spanish town of Oviedo. The way he speaks makes him seem like a hero out of a romance novel. One of his many unbelievable lines: “I'll show you around the city, and we'll eat well. We'll drink good wine. We'll make love.”
Imagine that said with a sexy Spanish accent, and you too will find yourself asking, “Is this guy a real person?” It seemed that at any moment he would toss his dark, silky hair and laugh heartily, telling the women and everyone watching that actually, he was just kidding, no one in real life talks like that. However, this is a movie. And as the movie progressed, it is clear that Juan Antonio truly is a free-thinking, romantic, Spanish painter who begins interesting and unique relationships with both Vicky and Cristina.
The narration—apparently a “Woody Allen-ism”—does give some background information that might be left out otherwise, but initially, it is slightly irritating to be told what is happening as it is happening. It becomes more tolerable, and actually very hilarious, as it occurs less frequently. The narrator gives melodramatic descriptions of particular situations and people, in a very self-aware, tongue-in-cheek manner that adds laughter to somewhat serious scenes. This technique felt reminiscent of the now-cancelled television comedy “Arrested Development.” Whereas the narration felt contrived in the first half of the film, it became a comedic treat by the second half.
Another treat is found in the beautiful but alarming presence of Maria Elena, Juan Antonio’s volatile and artistic ex-wife, played by Penelope Cruz. She re-enters the life of Juan Antonio after an unsuccessful attempt to kill herself, and comes to stay with her former husband and Cristina. Even Cristina’s free-spirited view of love is shaken up by the intrusion of Maria Elena. What is different and shocking about the situation is the way it plays out, and the eventually friendly and intimate connections made between Maria Elena and Cristina. In one scene, the ex-wife and the current girlfriend of Juan Antonio discuss in detail what it is like to make love to him. Seems extremely implausible, but then, more bizarre things have happened. The little twists in Vicky Cristina Barcelona seem to contribute to the idea that, while situations such as this one seem unlikely to transpire in real life, there is validity in the maxim “Truth is stranger than fiction.”
Besides all the beautiful actors who appeared in this film, the most visually stunning feature was the backdrop and culture of Spain. Rich, lush reds, greens, and browns color the buildings, streets, art, clothing, and landscape of this gorgeous country. Allen’s sweeping camera shots simultaneously makes the viewer feel like he or she is in Spain with the actors, and also makes one want to jump on a plane and literally fly there. The soothing yet upbeat soundtrack, consisting of Spanish guitar and lyrics in the country’s native language, adds the perfect musical touch to the film.
What really drew me into VCB came at the conclusion of the film. Though both women had experiences and felt emotions completely out of their comfort zones, they are both in the same place romantically as they were before. If anything, their respective personality types, though challenged, are strengthened by their time in Spain. Vicky and Cristina leave Barcelona at the end of the summer essentially as the same people they were when they arrived, albeit with a few character insights into their neurotic and very different selves.
