Woody Allen's Spanish Triumph

Rating: 9/10 (25 August 2008)

"Vicky Christina Barcelona" (2008), a new film written/directed by Woody Allen, is a charming dramedy/romance that takes place during one summer in the capital of Spanish Province, Catalonia, Barcelona which is known as Antonio Gaudi's city. Allen has moved even further away from Manhattan but in his new film, the characters and their dilemmas remind a lot of the Manhattanites from his best pictures with their neuroses, search for love and meaning of life, and their ironic dialogues. We also meet two Spanish characters here played by Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. Bardem's Juan Antonio is a popular bohemian painter who would take a serious place in the lives of two American tourists, young women named Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Christina (Allen's current Muse and inspiration, Scarlet Johansson. He is certainly in love with her voluptuous figure and especially her sensual lips. The male characters in at least two his films with Ms. Johansson repeat the same exact compliment to her lips. Time will tell if she ever gives performances as memorable, moving and subtle as Diane's or Mia's or Dianne's). Cruz was easily the best part of the delightful movie. As an estranged wife of Bardem's Juan Antonio, she created the force of nature out of her character. She was unbelievably good - crazy, sexy, beautiful, passionate. She and Bardem stole the show and redefined the term "On screen chemistry". Forget Vicky Christina - it should be called Maria Elena Barcelona - after Cruz's character. To her belongs the most hilarious "A deus ex machina" scene in the end of the movie that I've seen for long time. Penelope Cruz MUST play in either Spanish movies or in Woody's movies. She reminds me of a Greek mythological hero, Antaeus, the son of Earth. As long as he stayed on Earth, she would give him power and strength to fight Heracles, the greatest hero Greece ever knew. Once Heracles pulled him off Earth and kept him on Air, Antaeus' strength was gone. When Cruz plays in her native language in her Country, she is magnificent. When she plays in inferior American movies, she is nothing but a pretty face and a nice body. It was fun to see how good and effortless Bardem is in a romantic dramedy after his scary Oscar winning turn with the bad haircut and deadly air gun in "No country for Old Men". There is also Patricia Clarkson in a supporting role, talented, reliable, and subtle. Barcelona is a dream. I've been there in 2000 and I still regret that we had to leave to continue our tour. The Gaudi buildings and Park Güell are alone worth the price of admission. Spanish guitar music would kill you softly with its melodious passion. What is there not to like? For this Allen's devoted fan, "Vicky Christina Barcelona" is a dream come true.
It is interesting that Allen himself considers Vicky Cristina Barcelona "a very sad film." Yes, it is sad because like in many Allen's films, the characters would not get the answers for their questions. And being truly, deeply, madly in love would not make a couple happy because mad love creates such charged and heated atmosphere between them that they simply can't survive in it. The words of another famous cynic come to mind, "A Man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her", and this is a sad realization. What is not sad, though that Allen at the age of 72 still knows how to make a marvelous movie, to which his Spanish project is a glorious proof.