"I'll go to your room, but you'll have to seduce me"

Rating: 8/10 (15 September 2010)

It would be cynical of you to suggest that Woody Allen conceived this project purely as a means of getting Scarlett Johansson and Penélope Cruz to kiss, so perish the thought; it is unworthy of you. 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)' is another of Allen's recent turns away from comedy, but nevertheless plays more lightheartedly than the tense neo-noir 'Match Point (2006).' The film is a breezy excursion into the subtleties of love and desire, as two American tourists (Johansson and Rebecca Hall) spend a few idyllic summer months in Spain, getting wooed by romantic, straight-talking artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), also an enthusiastic advocate of what is traditionally termed the "menage à trois." His attempts at seducing both the uptight Vicky (Hall) and the free-spirited Cristina (Johannson) are interrupted by the arrival of Maria Helena (Penélope Cruz), Juan Antonio's ex-wife, a nasty temper smouldering beneath a striking exterior.
Allen does an odd little thing here: in the opening moments, he introduces a chirpy narrator (Christopher Evan Welch) who periodically chimes in to unnecessarily and wordily voice the characters' thoughts and actions, not as a participant, but as a smug, omniscient storyteller. The narration must surely be intended as ironic; there's a patent absurdity in trying to explain human emotions via such glib, superficial remarks. This complaint aside, the film is beautifully shot, with strong performances only enhanced by the breathtaking shooting locations. Scarlett Johannson's character carries shades of her role in 'Lost in Translation (2002),' as Cristina struggles – and will, posits Allen, continue to struggle – to find satisfaction in her lifestyle. In fact, the film doesn't really end well for anybody, harking back to the disillusionment that concluded 'Annie Hall (1977),' and the realisation that we're in it only because we "need the eggs."