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VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA  This posed publicity photo underscores the secret formula of VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA: Writer-Director Woody Allen takes us on a grand tour of his sexual fantasies. In this case, it would involve lovely Rebecca Hall, who's "Vicky" in Allen's new movie--his very best in at least a decade. |
Woody's new movie lets
him roar like a lion
of TheColumnists.com
Woody Allen certainly has the best job in the world: He gets to turn his private sexual fantasies into movies in color and widescreen with the leading roles played by some of the sexiest women on Earth.
Now considering the fact that Woody will turn 73 in December, one might imagine his fantasies these days might be more concerned with better regularity, less incontinence and a more plentiful supply of Viagra on those rare occasions when he feels sexy. But, fortunately for us, Woody still has World Class Sexual Fantasies as you will see when you check out his latest film--"Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
And, make no mistake about it, you MUST see this film if you remember how great Woody's films were in the era of "Annie Hall," "Manhattan" or "Hannah and Her Sisters." This is his best film since those days--a richly insightful film about modern romance, seasoned with his arch comic ideas and embellished with inspired acting performances from Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Penelope Cruz and Patricia Clarkson.
The film has a simple premise: Vicky and Cristina, two 20something American girls, take a trip to Barcelona, Spain, where Vicky (Rebecca Hall) intends to do some research for a graduate degree while having a grand vacation before her pending marriage and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) wants to shoot lots of snapshots and just have fun.
But both girls wind up falling for sexy painter Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who makes it clear he wants to make love to both of them, even though he's still a bit hung-up on his ex-girl friend, tempestuous rival artist Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz). For Cristina, this is a no-brainer because she's always ready for whatever, but it's an earth-shaker for Vicky, who has her future all carefully mapped out. Her part of Earth really starts shaking when her husband-to-be, dorky Doug (Chris Messina) decides to join her in Barcelona so they can tie the knot immediately and then do it all over again, formally, for the big society wedding they have planned back in the States.
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Above, left: Penelope Cruz builds up some bad attitude as Maria Elena. Right: Rebecca Hall as Vicky, Scarlett Johansson as Cristina.
Now this is enough of a comic situation for Woody Allen to have a field day, but he also uses the setup to make some very knowing and insightful observations about the fragile condition of romance in our 21st century world.
Rebecca Hall, who was on display in "The Prestige," is a tall, beautiful English actress who reminds me very much of a young Diane Keaton, perhaps after a major cosmetic makeover. Her Vicky is a loveable girl that you keep rooting for to hop the fences that are so obviously boxing her life into a future of dullness. Her older adviser Judy (Patricia Clarkson), who's trapped in a dull marriage to her blah husband Mark (Kevin Dunn), seems to be telling Vicky to learn from her mistakes, but she's way too rational to ever actually come out and say marriage to Doug will be a disaster for Vicky.
We're not actually rooting for Vicky to succumb to Juan Antonio, who's not really much of a "keeper" as a potential mate, but rather to open herself up to the passion that so obviously wants to flame within her.
You'll be amazed at how romantic and sexy Javier Bardem is as Juan Antonio, especially if you're still haunted by the image of him as the cold-blooded killer in last year's "No Country For Old Men," a chilling performance that earned him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 2007. Clearly, Bardem is a masteful actor with super potential as a screen idol.
I've never been especially passionate about either Scarlett Johansson or Penelope Cruz, but both actresses really light up the screen in this movie. Director Allen is a genius at bringing out the real persona of his players, which may be why actors love working for him so much. I'm ready to believe that Johansson in real life is very much like the Cristina she shows us--a free-wheeling, genial and extremely sexy young lady. I've never seen her this appealing on screen.
As for Cruz, I've respected her as an actress, but never quite got why she's considered a "hottie." As the stormy Maria Elena, I get the picture entirely. She's the sort of gal who picks up things and throws them or, as she does in this picture, pulls out a gun and fires it, but always just as a further extension of her explosively passionate persona.
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his case for bedding Rebecca Hall. It's comforting to know he won't put a hole in her brain with his compressed air gun if she doesn't "come across" in this movie. |
And, yes, there is the infamous sequence in which Cruz and Johansson exchange passionate kisses in a photo darkroom. Somehow it makes them both seem just all that much more exciting. I'm not sure what it adds to their character development, since I think we already knew they'd be willing to try anything once, but I'm pretty sure it tells us Woody Allen can indulge himself and order up just about anything he wants to see these days.
There is so much to love about "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"--from the delicious musical score of mostly Spanish guitar riffs to the softly satirical narration in so many scenes--that I instantly knew I'd want to see this movie over and over again.
Allen has been slowly, but surely getting back to his sure-footed comic focus with his last several films, many of them filmed away from his habitual New York settings, but "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is a masterwork that reminds us he's a filmmaker who hasn't stopped growing as he ages and is still capable of knocking us out when we're least expecting it.
©2008 by Ron Miller. The photos are courtesy of MGM. This column first posted Aug. 18, 2008.
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