Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Rating: 6/10 (8 May 2010)

Every bit the Woody Allen movie, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is the romantic adventures of two American tourists(Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson) over the course of a summer in Barcelona, how passionate encounters with a Bohemian artist(Javier Bardem)effect their lives for the future forever. Cristina(Johansson), must adjust to a very emotionally fragile ex-wife(Penélope Cruz)who returns to Juan Antonio's(Bardem)home after nearly committing suicide. We also are treated to the situation involving Vicky(Hall)and her struggling to get over that one heated night with Juan Antonio while now married to a wealthy hot shot businessman(Chris Messina)she doesn't truly love. Patricia Clarkson is Vicky's stepmother(..who is in love with her husband's best friend) and tries to steer her towards Juan Antonio, knowing that she doesn't love her husband and has deep feelings for the other man just out of reach.
As is a constant in Woody Allen's oeuvre, sex and emotional entanglements regarding love are of great consequence to the characters, except a great deal of this film is narrated, an overlapping voice informing us of the story as the principles' dialogue is drowned out by the one telling us of the difficulties, thoughts and feelings plaguing the stars of the film. Allen fans are accustomed to relationship comedies with characters who do not know what they really want and often swap partners throughout, and this 2008 movie is no different. It is refreshing to see an Allen film, however, in a different location, the beauties of Spain used splendidly as the stories for his characters are explored. I prefer the older movies where the characters have more dialogue and we aren't told almost everything by a narrator, but the cast equip the flavorful surrounding nicely and when they are allowed to speak/act, it is worthwhile, I think. Hall is a nice edition to Allen's family(Johansson has become Allen's new lead actress, this like her third film for the director), and seems to have a meatier role than Scarlett Johansson whose Cristina seems mellow and cool despite having to contend with a volatile Penélope Cruz. Cruz has the flashiest role, a loose cannon whose psyche is tempered as she becomes attached to Cristina, soon forming a loving connection which, for a while, enables the three of them, including Juan Antonio, to form a family of sorts. When you watch a Woody Allen film, you come to an understanding that oftentimes love and real feelings are brushed aside for comfort and complacency as is the case for Vicky who chooses the husband who can offer her a home and money instead of the unpredictable environment of Juan Antonio for whom she carries a serious torch for. Bardem is the handsome Lothario who sweeps everyone off their feet, charming and sensitive. I imagine many viewers will find the characters featured in this film as shallow, self-absorbed and superficial. I think the movie's greatest strength is of the unique relationship that develops between Bardem, Cruz, and Johansson.