Like a dumbed-down Almodovar movie

Rating: 4/10 (7 July 2009)

This is quintesensial Almodovar. I've always noticed how much in common the Woody Allen and Pedro Almodovar have in common and no picture conveys it as well as when Allen goes into his Spanish counterparts territory filming a movie in Barcelona of all places.
Unfortunately for Allen the comparison between the two doesn't speak too well of the New Yorker as the plot, the dialogue and the script in general seems to be taken from a forgotten Almodovar drawer full of his artistic failures.
Two best friends - the proper Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and the adventurous Christina (Scarlett Johannson) go on the ultimate holiday to Barcelona, Spain. This is to be their last adventure before Vicky gets married to the ultimate catch - rich and well bred Doug (Chris Messina). Touring Barcelona the two come upon a seemingly narcissistic famous painter Juan Antonio Gonzalo (Javier Bardem), who offers them a proposal only a fiery Spaniard could make - fly with me to Oviedo, where the three of us will have luscious sex. Christina is quick to agree, but Vicky just comes for the company. One thing leads to another and...
At times funny the movie watches more like a light comedy. But there is no real flair to the movie or sense of purpose with a pathetic performance from constantly lip-playing Scarlett Johannson. A stand-out performance is made by the Almodovar actress Penelope Cruz, but this is far from one of her better roles, especially in Spanish cinema.
All in all a movie I would only recommend to die-hard Woody Allen fans, but apart from that it is essentially forgettable.