Product: Head in the Clouds (2004)
Rating: 5.0
touching period piece
The title is not as it seems, just like the protagonist. This is not some movie about Cher and Dionne in Southern Cal. This movie brings up deep issues that will have your heart and mind racing. It's about anything except a silly girl with her head in the clouds.I was expecting to hate Charlize Theron. I thought, "Oh dear! Another movie where the thin, blonde gets to rule the world just because she's a thin blonde." Boy, was I wrong. Ms. Theron has range and was well worthy of her "Monster" Oscar. She is stunningly beautiful in this film, despite having a crooked tooth and fat cheeks. Her outfits are stunning. I think she could really race Nicole for ingenue roles at this point. Equally impressive was Penelope Cruz. Before I saw this flick, I thought she was only the future "Mrs. Tom Cruise." However, she looks stunning and is a great actress. You have to remember that it's difficult to be an actor outside of your first language. I hope she surpasses Antonio Banderas, rather than just being his female counterpart. Again, going against the typical ingenue role, she walks with a limp in this work.The main point of this film is to trouble the divide between politicality and apoliticality. The division that demands the public sphere be male and the private sphere be female is eventually turned on its head. The female bisexuality in this film is neither meant for heterosexist-patriarchal titillation for conservatives nor supposed political correctness for liberals. It is another complicating, and well-coordinated, factor in this rich text. There's also SM and love triangles to spice up the mix even more. Similarly, this movie jumps from time period to time period, nation to nation, and political conflict to political conflict.When the credits rolled, I applauded, but no one else followed suit. I think folk were having trouble digesting the richness of the work. Also, this does not end as the typical ingenue film does. I think moviegoers too accustomed to everything turning out how they would want it had trouble here.Cultural critics and college students taking women's studies, (...) or film studies will be writing about this film for years.Granted this piece does have elements of "Henry & June," "Farewell My Concubine," "Three of Hearts," and "The Others." However, it is still fresh, exciting, and visually spectacular. I truly enjoyed it intensely.