Vicky Cristina Barcelona (¡ay caliente!)

[Ezee E]

Trailer (http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/13/sexy-first-trailer-for-woody-allens-vicky-cristina-barcelona/)

[ledfloyd]

i want.

[Kurosawa Fan]

That racy sex scene is non-existent, for anyone who was excited by the notion (in other words, all of us). I read an interview with Woody and he said it's only implied, and that he couldn't ask actresses to do something like that. He said it much wittier than that, but that was the gist.

[Ezee E]

That racy sex scene is non-existent, for anyone who was excited by the notion (in other words, all of us). I read an interview with Woody and he said it's only implied, and that he couldn't ask actresses to do something like that. He said it much wittier than that, but that was the gist.
There's still enough hotness in that trailer to get people excited.

[Silencio]

This looks beautiful. And the sex has nothing to do with it.

[Llopin]

Yeah. Brings me good ole memories from last august, known here in Barcelona as "the summer of Woody". I'm of course mostly intrigued about the film. Lots of lovin' and screwin', it seems. A few of the locations I spotted in that trailer are very familiar to me.

[Lasse]

"the summer of Woody".

I had that when I was 12. So embarassing.

[NickGlass]

A Woody Allen trailer without any dialogue? ¡Absurdo!

That aside, I'm sure a lot of people will have the urge to fuck the screen while watching this trailer.

[chrisnu]

New trailer:

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809912195/trailer

This looks great. Smart choice for a summer film.

[Ezee E]

PG-13?

Really?

Millions will now pass.

[megladon8]

The first line of the local review for this movie was...

"An entire cast made up solely of gorgeous people do mean and sometimes stupid things for sex (though they think it's love)."

Yeah, this movie isn't for me.

[Sycophant]

"An entire cast made up solely of gorgeous people do mean and sometimes stupid things for sex (though they think it's love)."
Awesome!

I'm surprised that this is opening at my local independent theater this weekend. I'll have to try to see it Sunday. Maybe even today! (Not tomorrow.)

Meg, was one of your family members killed by a beautiful person?

[Kurosawa Fan]

Meg, was one of your family members killed by a beautiful person?

:lol:

[Ezee E]

It's at a few of the main multiplexes here as well. It's getting the same treatment as Scoop pretty much.

[Pop Trash]

The first line of the local review for this movie was...

"An entire cast made up solely of gorgeous people do mean and sometimes stupid things for sex (though they think it's love)."

Yeah, this movie isn't for me.

Yeah this movie is totally for me. It's too bad Woody doesn't have more nudity in his films. I bet ScarJo would go topless for him for the sake of art. Too bad she never became Altman's muse. He would have demanded nudity. :P

[Rowland]

This is playing at an arthouse I hate, so it'll have to wait for DVD. Meh.

[megladon8]

Meg, was one of your family members killed by a beautiful person?


No, but I've been tormented all my life for not being gorgeous.

In grade 10 the "pretty girl" in school and her boyfriend wrote on my locker "why don't you just kill yourself you fucking ugly fuck."

That's one of the many, many things I've dealt with because of the way I look.

Yeah, I'm bitter.

[Rowland]

I'm beautiful.

[Sycophant]

The awesome thing about beautiful people is even if they don't like you, you can still look at them and enjoy it.

[number8]

The awesome thing about beautiful people is even if they don't like you, you can still look at them and enjoy it.

This is why, despite my self-loathing, I tend to stare at the mirror for a long time.

[megladon8]

This is why, despite my self-loathing, I tend to stare at the mirror for a long time.


I find it very, very hard to believe that you contain even an ounce of self-loathing in your body.

[Sycophant]

I find it very, very hard to believe that you contain even an ounce of self-loathing in your body.
Oh, c'mon. Almost everyone's got at least a little.

[Ezee E]

No, but I've been tormented all my life for not being gorgeous.

In grade 10 the "pretty girl" in school and her boyfriend wrote on my locker "why don't you just kill yourself you fucking ugly fuck."

That's one of the many, many things I've dealt with because of the way I look.

Yeah, I'm bitter.
I thought those things only existed in movies.

[Silencio]

Just saw it.

It's good! Here's a review:

People have been criticizing Allen recently for taking himself too seriously and not meshing his more dramatic subject matter with the comedic elements of his screenplays, thus creating half-assed contrivances like last year's Cassandra's Dream, but Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a sure improvement. No, it's not a completely original entrance into the Woody canon; a lot of his prior themes about sex, love, and the consequences each can respectively produce pop up here but somehow he still manages to make it all seem fresh.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona goes down easy. It's a deceptively simple meditation on the connection between love, art, and the ability to express oneself romantically and emotionally through the medium. Watching the film feels like spending a breezy afternoon in the beautiful titular city while the security and assurance one holds so closely crumbles around them. The two titular characters arrive in Barcelona with smiles on their faces, ready to relax and enjoy their youthful freedom, having no idea what's about to hit them.

Allen slyly and ironically plays on the whole notion of foreign escapism. Most people hold this notion that they can get away from their current lives and lose themselves in another culture and with this film, Allen explores the sometimes negative aspects of enveloping oneself into something one just doesn't understand. Indeed, it's what both Vicky and Cristina do, as their entire self-confident personas are stripped down to bare nothingness during their stay in Spain, by the simple and simultaneously complex chemistry of two past-lovers played energetically by Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

But none of what is mentioned above is ever treated with the slightest heavy-hand. While it may sound grim, Allen perfectly induces a little comedy around each and every corner to remind us just how ridiculously irrational we can get over the trivialities of love. It's always fun, never mindless, and consistently well-written throughout, as one would come to expect of Allen.

There is one glaring flaw however, and that is the often pointless narration. Every now and then a detached voiceover will tune in to describe what we can already tell from the images on screen. At other times, he'll describe the character's feelings or give background on certain situations. It's a lazy tactic that replaces what the actors should already be doing themselves and what the script should've indicated via character development. However, it gives the film this oddly lived-in feel, like an old scrapbook of forgotten memories to a trip to Spain.

The performances are all impressive. As expected, Bardem and Cruz are sizzling on screen, their chemistry is completely undeniable, even when it seems like they're about to get at each other's throats. Newcomer Rebecca Hall gives the most emotional performance, as her character is swayed passionately numerous times throughout the film, portraying a woman who is unsure of her grip on life. And Johansson turns in her best performance in a Woody Allen picture, playing a woman whose liberties are challenged by the even more unconventional and unplanned lifestyles of the couple she falls for.

In the end, the film is an assurance that Allen still has "it" and is feeling ever more confident behind the lens. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a highly entertaining, funny, and often heartfelt play on that little thing called love.

[Sycophant]

Saw it tonight with an incredibly laughy audience. Quite good, though. Penelope Cruz may be the most beautiful woman on Earth. More intelligent thoughts may or may not follow.

[origami_mustache]

Aside from Penelope Cruz of course, the trailer kind of turned me off to this.

[Sycophant]

Aside from Penelope Cruz of course, the trailer kind of turned me off to this.Give it a shot. It's pretty solid Woody Allen.

[Watashi]

Decent, if not forgettable Woody. The city is more beautiful than the sex, but there were times I felt it was played out as a more prettier version of Margot at the Wedding.

Oh, and Christian Bale and Javier Bardem need to do a film together. Like now.

[number8]

Javier Bardem as Bane??!!!

[ThePlashyBubbler]

As a self-proclaimed Woody fanboy, I thought this was great stuff. Many claimed Match Point was the return to form for Woody, but this was the first film of his since Sweet and Lowdown that's really felt like a Woody Allen film to me. Each character has their own unique voice, but you can certainly feel his voice coming through behind them. Especially in the narration, I almost wish Woody would've just done it himself instead of whoever the guy was, since it sounded straight from Woody's mouth in phrasing, just a different voice. Three and a half stars, easily.

[Noisotika]

It really does satirize white [or does race not really matter?] wealthy, educated, metropolitan materialists in the least heavy-handed and cruel way. Hell it even asks us to be enamored with Scarlett's beauty and sexiness before showing us how shallow she is compared to Penelope's beyond neurotic artist character. There's a surprisingly moving moment in the movie... a close-up of Scarlett's impossibly perfect face while Javier, who is off-camera, off-handedly comments on how uninteresting she is compared to Penelope. It really is a movie of opposites: Rebecca Hall vs. Scarlett Johansson; Scarlett Johansson vs. Penelope Cruz; Javier Bardem vs. Rebecca's well-meaning fiance; etc.

The movie wasn't as scene-for-scene sexy as I expected, but the sexiest moment in the film for me was when Penelope was posing for Scarlett's camera.

Cheating is wrong, but I totally wanted Rebecca to end up with any guy but her fiance. I thought the student from her Spanish class would have inspired something [assuming he wasn't as square as her fiance]. The threesome involving Pen, Jav, and Scar totally made so much sense to me that I was actually disappointed to see them part.

This really needed to be longer though. There just weren't enough scenes with Penelope. I'm really anticipating Elegy.

[Sycophant]

It really does satirize white [or does race not really matter?] wealthy, educated, metropolitan materialists in the least heavy-handed and cruel way.

Hello. I agree with you!

I'm kind of surprised to be reading as much as I am about how cruel this movie allegedly is. I didn't really get cruelty out of it.

[Noisotika]

Hello. I agree with you!

I'm kind of surprised to be reading as much as I am about how cruel this movie allegedly is. I didn't really get cruelty out of it.

Whoever said it's cruel was probably offended. Maybe they saw themselves in the characters. But, you know, I'm afraid that I'm a little like Vicky's fiance. He wasn't a bad guy at all, but compared to Javier, he just seemed superfluous, so by-the-book. I want to be a sexy Spanish-speaking artist who flys a jet too.

Nearly all of the characters were made to feel inadequate at one point in the movie. Like, was Javier really a talented artist, or did he just rip-off Penelope? Did he just have a big dick, charisma and a sense of where the cool places were?

[trotchky]

Man, I thought this movie was a real piece of shit, mainly for the reasons Ed Gonzalez outlined in his review. :\

[Beau]

I really liked it. Wrote this (http://www.halo-17.net/articles/index/Film+Review/Vicky+Cristina+Barcelona/11981).

[NickGlass]

Me gusta, tambien.

[Pop Trash]

This was pretty good. The first half hour I didn't like that much to be honest. A bunch of rich Americans in Spain drinking wine and talking about "problems" half the world wishes they had. But it gets better as it goes along, especially with Bardem and Cruz. I still don't think ScarJo, post Ghost World and Lost in Translation, is much of an actress. Cruz blew her away. Rebbecca Hall was good but I get tired of Woody Allen creating a character than may as well be him (see also Kenneth Branagh in Celebrity) with their neurotic, fidgety style. I also don't think the two American gals in this would talk in that verbose, witty Allen-esque style. They would be more airheaded than that. Also, I pretty much hated the annoying, intrusive voiceover that described things that could clearly be inferred. That's just laziness.

That said, the sly satire of American romance with exotic foreigners is well done. I think Allen was trying to poke a hole in that fantasy that people have of hot, sexy foreigners. And like I said, Cruz and Bardem were dynamite.

Overall: 7/10

[Izzy Black]

Ed Gonzalez's review is terrible.

[Boner M]

I thought this was cute: Woody's Spanish Diaries (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/movies/24alle.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin)

[Izzy Black]

I thought this was cute: Woody's Spanish Diaries (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/movies/24alle.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin)

I saw this over on the CC forums. Very humorous.

[Duncan]

I thought it was good. I don't really have anything to add that hasn't already been said in your generic positive review though. I'm not sure how that reflects on the film itself.

[Watashi]

Whose review are we talking about?

[Rowland]

Whose review are we talking about?Any generic positive review.

[Milky Joe]

Best movie of the year. Top 5 Woody Allen.

[Melville]

Hey Derek, I just noticed your negative rating for this. Thoughts?

[Derek]

Hey Derek, I just noticed your negative rating for this. Thoughts?

Two stars is on-the-fence, but I liked how ungrounded the film is as all the characters are collectively searching for happiness, yet cultural divides and ulterior motives ultimately make it impossible for any of them to achieve it. I'm a little surprised to see people mentioning how great the Spanish characters came off in relation to the Americans though. Certainly Vicky and Christina both came off as shallow in their own way, but I think Woody presented Juan Antonia and Maria Elena's lives to be nearly as unhappy, though not as shallow. Despite this, my problem with the film still lied with its stacking the deck in favor of Spanish culture. It's not so much that I disagree with his criticisms of American's abroad, and I prefer this approach to the "American in Paris" syndrome where an embracing of foreign culture magically completes the individual, but that his observations never really go beyond the surface. It's an enjoyable, breezy film, but what you see is what you get.

[Melville]

It's an enjoyable, breezy film, but what you see is what you get.
Sounds good to me. I think I'll try to see this one in theaters.

[balmakboor]

I was pretty disappointed when I saw this today, as I have been by many Allen's over the past 15 years. My review:

---

If Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is about anything to be sure, it’s about lips.

Juan Antonio describes Cristina’s lips as her main attraction. As Vicky transforms into the image of Cristina, the camera focuses on Vicky’s lips, so similar to Cristina’s. Maria Elena makes her entrance; lips pursed sensuously around one cigarette after another. Lips lock in kisses at every opportunity.

I doubt the city of Barcelona would be pleased by this. They approached Allen and offered him funds to shoot a movie in their city, hoping I imagine for a portrait as rapturous as Allen’s love letter to Manhattan. Maybe they forgot though that “Manhattan” is the product of a different era, and a different Allen.

Other than those lips – belonging fetchingly to Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, and Penelope Cruz – not much stands out, certainly nothing about Barcelona, and definitely nothing as picture postcard memorable as Allen and Diane Keaton seated in silhouette beneath the 59th Street Bridge with Allen describing his city as “a knockout.”

Allen has lost contact with the creative inspirations of those days in the late 70s, a time as long ago as Barcelona is far away. He has lost his touch for character and dialog. The cast, rounded out by Javier Bardem, has that sketchbook feel of stick figures diagramed to go through the motions of romantic coupling and uncoupling. But Allen forgot to add flesh and nuance.

Allen seemingly thought Johansson’s Cristina should start from her cynically aimless Rebecca from “Ghost World” and then grow up. But grow how? And to where? Allen doesn’t seem to have thought that far ahead.

About the best thing I can say about Bardem is that his work here never stirred up memories of Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men.” The worst thing I can say is that I wish I’d been constantly reminded of Anton Chigurh, at least that character possessed a genuine sense of mystery.

Perhaps worst of all is the unfortunate character of Doug, Vicky’s fiancé. Never has the character of the boring, stuck-up, upper-class twit who doesn’t stand a chance against the dark, brooding, and romantically impulsive male been so embarrassingly realized. I felt sorry for Doug.

And Allen’s writing has lost its charm and its zing. The movie is incessantly narrated in the fashion of “and now Cristina takes a sip of wine as her brows furrow in thought” as we sit and watch Cristina take a sip of wine, her brows furrowed, deep in thought.” I wanted to scream “shut up!”

I thought the old Allen was about to return when Doug started saying, “That reminds me of an old joke…” But then the sound faded away leaving his lips (those lips again) flapping silently. It seems Woody Allen can’t even conjure up jokes any longer. What’s the world coming to?

I was about to give up on “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” when something very exciting happened. Penelope Cruz showed up. Suddenly, the screen came to life and even Bardem started to have fun, his character throwing paint about like the artist we had until then only been told he is.

Cruz is probably Spain’s greatest export. She doesn’t even need a well-written character. She makes something beautiful out of nothing. I could watch her iron a shirt while listening to her lyrical voice – in English or in Spanish – all day. Of course, having a great character to play doesn’t hurt as she and Spain’s Pedro Almodovar proved with “All About My Mother” and “Volver.”

Yes, I think Barcelona should ask for its money back and keep it local by sliding it over to Almodovar and Cruz instead.

[Milky Joe]

I thought the old Allen was about to return when Doug started saying, “That reminds me of an old joke…” But then the sound faded away leaving his lips (those lips again) flapping silently. It seems Woody Allen can’t even conjure up jokes any longer. What’s the world coming to?

It's amazing how completely opposite to each other our respective reactions to this film were. I groaned when I heard Doug say that, and when it faded out I was immensely pleased.


Allen seemingly thought Johansson’s Cristina should start from her cynically aimless Rebecca from “Ghost World” and then grow up. But grow how? And to where? Allen doesn’t seem to have thought that far ahead.

Where did you get this "Allen seemingly thought ... then grow up" idea from? Something tells me you missed the point.

If you want something as memorable as that shot in Manhattan, I submit the slow pan when Vicky and Juan Antonio are listening to the Spanish guitar player. It may not be as iconic but it was just as effective in bringing a tear to my eye. At that moment I knew Allen hadn't really 'lost' anything.

[balmakboor]

It's amazing how completely opposite to each other our respective reactions to this film were. I groaned when I heard Doug say that, and when it faded out I was immensely pleased.

Where did you get this "Allen seemingly thought ... then grow up" idea from? Something tells me you missed the point.

If you want something as memorable as that shot in Manhattan, I submit the slow pan when Vicky and Juan Antonio are listening to the Spanish guitar player. It may not be as iconic but it was just as effective in bringing a tear to my eye. At that moment I knew Allen hadn't really 'lost' anything.

I guess I was so starved for a joke of any kind -- and no, "this time she kept her food down" doesn't count -- that I even wanted Doug to turn funny man.

Maybe I missed the point with Cristina, but all I could think watching her was "this is Rebecca on vacation from whatever job she finally held down after Ghost World." I think that Scarlett is a beautiful but very limited actress. She did pick up interest for me once Penelope came into the picture though.

If a handful of upscale tourists sitting on a porch listening to a professional Spanish guitarist -- I don't know who he was but I imagine I could order his CDs through a major label today on Amazon -- is this movie's best selling moment for Barcelona, I rest my case. (I thought the city was beautiful at times though it never showed it in an expansive sense. It never spent time as a flat out travel brochure for the city as Lean's much superior Summertime was for Venice, something I would have welcomed from Allen. But, as you pointed out, nothing is iconic of Barcelona.) The Spanish guitarist scene was also so painfully obvious. Oh, they share a love for guitar. She saw him shed a tear. I bet they'll screw now.

I hadn't read any reviews of this before seeing it and writing my own. I'm actually quite appalled that it is over 80% on the RT meter. I think people must be so desperate to call a movie a return to form for Allen that they'll settle for anything.

[Izzy Black]

You must have hated Another Woman and Interiors.

[balmakboor]

You must have hated Another Woman and Interiors.

Yes and no.

[Izzy Black]

Yes and no.

I hope it wasn't for a lack of jokes.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Saw this tonight. I'm still mulling it over. Very cynical film. Narration was a serious misstep. That said, I think I liked it. I'll sleep on it.

[NickGlass]

Saw this tonight. I'm still mulling it over. Very cynical film. Narration was a serious misstep.

I'm glad you mention the narration and the film's inherent cynicism. At first the narration bothered me a bit due to its extreme redundancy, but the problem with the voiceover extends beyond that conventional complaint. It totally mangles the tone. Woody has provided us with a very incisive portrait of unsure, hopeful individuals who will constantly seek a sophisticated stability, yet abandon that structure once they've achieved it.

There's a profound sadness to these characters; if the sun-drenched landscapes provided juxtaposition between the light and the dark, Woody's screenplay would still remain obvious, but it would maintain the integrity of the characters he has drawn. Instead, the voiceover tries to be all buoyant and jovial, completely contradicting the essential core of the film.

[Kurosawa Fan]

The only way to read the narration in a positive light is as a clinical, faux-sex-education-film, purposeful contradiction, but even so it still doesn't work for me, and only served as distraction.

[Lucky]

I wasn't bothered by the narration at all. I thought it took on a grandfather-like quality that almost chided and mocked the flippant youth of the characters. I don't think it would have ever existed if Woody made this movie twenty years ago. It subtlely coheres with the cynicism of the tone that you both mentioned earlier.

[balmakboor]

Sigh! I remember the day when people didn't have to strain themselves to justify a Woody Allen film. They were just plain great. The more I think about VCB, the more I think that if it wasn't for Cruz's vibrancy it would be a total wreck.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I wasn't bothered by the narration at all. I thought it took on a grandfather-like quality that almost chided and mocked the flippant youth of the characters. I don't think it would have ever existed if Woody made this movie twenty years ago. It subtlely coheres with the cynicism of the tone that you both mentioned earlier.

See, I found it about as subtle as a jackhammer, and that's why I don't care for it.

[Milky Joe]

I wasn't bothered by the narration at all. I thought it took on a grandfather-like quality that almost chided and mocked the flippant youth of the characters. I don't think it would have ever existed if Woody made this movie twenty years ago. It subtlely coheres with the cynicism of the tone that you both mentioned earlier.

I felt the same. In the very first scene I was a little taken aback by it and thought that the film could go either way, but I quickly got used to it. I barely even thought about the narration, it seemed almost invisible to me. Except in the final scene, which was perfect, and justified the entire use of the narration in my mind.

[NickGlass]

I'm not of the belief that Woody Allen has lost "it," unless the "it" is subtlety. He may make another decent movie, but I'm not expecting any more understated films from him. He was never the master of thematically subtle, but at least he understood character nuance.

[Spinal]

This was surprisingly great. Went to see it as a back-up after my wife and I were late to another film. I thought that it was fantastic in the way that it explored commitment and desire. Very funny. Everyone was well cast. Superb performances all around, but Penelope Cruz steals the film. Man, she was outstanding.

[Sven]

This was surprisingly great. Went to see it as a back-up after my wife and I were late to another film. I thought that it was fantastic in the way that it explored commitment and desire. Very funny. Everyone was well cast. Superb performances all around, but Penelope Cruz steals the film. Man, she was outstanding.

Why is it that whenever I'm ambivalent about seeing a film, you come in and give your opinion, and I'm immediately swayed one way or the other? You've got me in your pocket, dude, and I'm not sure I hate it.

[Spinal]

Why is it that whenever I'm ambivalent about seeing a film, you come in and give your opinion, and I'm immediately swayed one way or the other? You've got me in your pocket, dude, and I'm not sure I hate it.

Heh, I was totally ambivalent about seeing it too. Just sort of happened by accident. Maybe it helped to have no expectations.

But I really liked how most of the film's humor doesn't come from the typical Allen one-liners. It comes from the situations and the relationships. It is recognizable as an Allen film, but it is genuinely insightful and heartfelt rather than flippant and jokey (as his films can occasionally be). I'll have to think it over, but this might very well be among my favorites of his.

[Milky Joe]

But I really liked how most of the film's humor doesn't come from the typical Allen one-liners. It comes from the situations and the relationships. It is recognizable as an Allen film, but it is genuinely insightful and heartfelt rather than flippant and jokey (as his films can occasionally be). I'll have to think it over, but this might very well be among my favorites of his.

Repped! I'm really glad you liked it.

[Amnesiac]

This is one of the better Allen films I've seen. I really enjoyed it.

In regards to the narration:


I wasn't bothered by the narration at all. I thought it took on a grandfather-like quality that almost chided and mocked the flippant youth of the characters. I don't think it would have ever existed if Woody made this movie twenty years ago. It subtlely coheres with the cynicism of the tone that you both mentioned earlier.

I agree with this. I know Dargis' review from the NYTimes said it allowed Woody to avoid having to plod through some exposition and get to the point quicker. I suppose that makes sense, too. But, over-all, I got the sense of this cynical and patronizing tone that served to punctuate the bleak circumstances we found on screen (especially near the end).

I thought the performances were spectacular. Rebecca Hall is the stand-out for me, and Cruz and Bardem were especially great as well. I didn't mind Johansson one bit.

I found the ideas the film tackled to be really interesting, too. Chronic dissatisfaction, restlessness, the fallibility of human assurance and commitment ... and, of course, lust. It was fascinating to watch all the certainty and sensibilities of Hall's character wither away to make room for more romantic and liberating appetites. In the same sense, it was interesting to watch the world view of Johansson's character get shattered (in a sense): a pseudo-intellectual misfit craving an impossible definition of independence and difference. Maybe her world-view doesn't get shattered so much as she just sort of remains the same, a static prisoner to her own insatiability.

So, we have an incredibly insatiable character whose courage and daringness get her nowhere and an especially satisfied character who comes to terms with the stagnating and miserable qualities of her social milieu and spousal commitment. And, for all of these lessons learned, and possibilities explored, these characters return to the ruts they started out in -- only now tortured by the advent of new wisdom. Or at least this is the case with Hall's character; she knows what she can't (in any functional sense) have, and she knows the inadequacy of what she must return to.

Oh, and it was interesting/amusing how Allen chose to dress all the boring American characters in Lacoste™ shirts. :)

[DavidSeven]

Loved this. I won't try to justify its worth in too much detail. For me, it just consistently hit the right notes, moved in the right directions, and pushed the right buttons. Not a false note in the whole thing. Generalities will have to do for now, but it's a film that's worth talking about. Great stuff.

[Grouchy]

Loved this. I won't try to justify its worth in too much detail. For me, it just consistently hit the right notes, moved in the right directions, and pushed the right buttons. Not a false note in the whole thing. Generalities will have to do for now, but it's a film that's worth talking about. Great stuff.
Exactly. I also thought the whole mess ended in the best (or most ironic) possible way and loved the closing shot.

[[ETM]]

Finally seen this. I'll just agree with the positive comments here, as I rather enjoyed the film. A few thoughts on narration: I too found it mainly unintrusive, and there were quite a few nice moments where it perfectly complemented the performances in a way otherwise impossible. The blunt descriptive comments were in my view very few and far between. I'll also note that I'm by no means an Allen fan, haven't seen most of his iconic early films, so I'm not holding VCB to any impossible standards other than personal enjoyment.

[Benny Profane]

I really enjoyed this. Surprised nobody in the thread has talked about the relationship between Vicky and Judy, both of whom are too afraid to risk leaving their relationships for the possibility of something more exciting, more romantic, more passionate. That fear, contrasted with Cristina's character, was the crux of the film for me, and what made it so poignant. People (justifiably) are talking a lot about Maria Elena, but she was kind of a one-note catalyst.

[DavidSeven]

Yeah. Rebecca Hall's character definitely grounded this film, and her conflict is the most crucial to understanding the interplay between these characters. Great performance too, if you ask me.

[NickGlass]

I really enjoyed this. Surprised nobody in the thread has talked about the relationship between Vicky and Judy, both of whom are too afraid to risk leaving their relationships for the possibility of something more exciting, more romantic, more passionate. That fear, contrasted with Cristina's character, was the crux of the film for me, and what made it so poignant. People (justifiably) are talking a lot about Maria Elena, but she was kind of a one-note catalyst.

Perhaps the reason why no one is talking about it is because there's not much to discuss. Woody pretty much lays it all out there with that scene where Judy starts beating home the subtext.


Yeah. Rebecca Hall's character definitely grounded this film, and her conflict is the most crucial to understanding the interplay between these characters. Great performance too, if you ask me.

The best performance in the film, I think.

[Ezee E]

I prefer Javier Bardem over all.

[Pop Trash]

I prefer Javier Bardem over all.
I'm still riding in the LeBaron with the Cruz control on. She deserved her Oscar.

[Benny Profane]

I'm still riding in the LeBaron with the Cruz control on.

Oh dear.