Review of Broken Embraces (2009) by Citizen J — 13 Jul 2010

"All films must be completed, even if it is blind".

In some interviews, Almodovar said that 'Los abrazos rotos" was made under pressure from terrible headaches. Are they an allusion to blindness?

"Los abrazos rotos" brings to the screen the outline of what may be a new Almodóvar. As in "Carne Trémula", which makes a transition from comedy to drama, in "Los Abrazos rotos, Almodóvar show signs of the incorporation of a new way of making movies in your style. The film presents a very strong proximity of commercial cinema. New camera angles, scenery and even the lighting show that Almodóvar might want to get closer to what we see every week at the movies, but without losing the freshness of his own style. Unlike films like "Hable con Ella"in that silence can speak more than anything else in the film, Los Abrazos rotos has good doses of dialogues, situations and characters that need speech to be clear about its rationale. What we also see that there is an almost total abandonment of garish colors, so characteristic in his films, and which often are replaced by the pale shades of gray.

Los Abrazos rotos is primarily an outburst of Almodóvar. The blindness of Mateo and his need to change the name even cause you to think about how the author feels about his art. "Chicas e maletas" enters the movie as a stage career surpassed Mateo and makes clear reference to "Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios". Almodovar would also mean that it is time to change?

The feelings inside the film are also addressed in very different ways. Many times, the film embraces the parties seem to be only technical in nature and away from it, since it lacks the intensity of feeling we find in others such as All About My Mother. Here, history is intertwined to a very subtle until the film's larger goal is achieved: to bring together all around the cinema.Metalanguage is that emotional while clashes between the oscillations of the idea of doing a film between the first and second place.

The film has wonderful performances. Penelope Cruz, Almodovar´s eternal muse as always gorgeous and exudes the feeling of your eyes. Blanca Portillo is in their best shape and impressed with all the sincerity of their drama because the drama of her character is not something abstract, but measurable, only that she understands and can pass it magnificently. Lluiz Homar can fulfill its role well, showing how the dark ages people.

As already said, Los abrazos rotos is a film of transition. Then they ought not say whether it is better or worse than previous, but look at what lies ahead. The situations in Los abrazos rotos are less controversial and shocking. Already feelings are less intense and more real, and they are scrutinized by camera Almodovar, showing situations like the false happiness of Lena for Ernesto, jealousy silent Judit and even the love sick and needy of Ernesto. The scene of the wig and the scene of the trip to Ibiza is priceless. Two frameworks are simply unforgettable Penelope Cruz. The scene of the accident is also wonderful. Skeptical, but amazing.

There are no words to explain the final. It warms my heart to see the last minutes of the film.The last kiss frame, assembling the film. It is the cinema of life imitating life. It's beautiful.