Review of I'm So Excited! (2013) by Mikeypa — 07 Jul 2013

Almodovar has set the bar so incredibly high with the evolution of his creativity and the brilliance of his work that I'm So Excited is bound to disappoint even his most ardent fans. Taken on its own, the film is light, entertaining and fun--the perfect antidote to Spain's current malaise and crippling unemployment.

In this context, the film makes perfect sense. Retreating to a genre he invented and then transcended proves that Almodovar's timing is impeccable. He has nothing to prove. When the going gets tough you party like it's 1999... don't worry, be happy. We can self-medicate with sex, drugs and mo-town. It's a recurring theme in his work and an apt application in I'm So Excited.

Watching this film made me want to go back and revisit his earlier work and the reasons I fell in love with new Spanish cinema. It's not original, not evolutionary, and given my rising expectations each time I see a new Almodovar, probably a letdown.

I always leave an Almodovar movie with a smile on my face, albeit somewhat more muted for this film than for his other work. Compared to what's out there, this is a very good film... but it's a detour not a a step forward.