Review of To Return (1982) by Rick R — 05 Nov 2009
Out of the two Almodovar films I've seen so far, Volver is my favorite. All About My Mother was very good, but I found this one to be even more beautiful and affecting. Volver explores dark, serious subject matter, but does so in a way that is remarkably lively, warm, and often very funny. Almodovar puts a huge amount of heart into this soulful film, and it shows - nearly every scene is completely gorgeous. The bold colors pop of the screen, and the performances are electrifying. In particular, I'm talking about Penelope Cruz. She was completely astounding here - not only is she jaw-droppingly sexy, but her performance is deeply moving and passionate. Carmen Maura is also incredible, along with the rest of the almost entirely female cast.
Volver is, to put it simply, stunning. A few moments do drag, and a few twists of the plot require some suspension of belief, but they also are done beautifully and come with tremendous emotional impact, so it's stupid to complain. A wonderful work of art. Next up in Almodovar viewings is Talk to Her and Bad Education - if they're anywhere near as good as this, I'm sure that Almodovar will become one of my new favorite directors.
This review of To Return (1982) was written by Rick R on 05 Nov 2009.
To Return has generally received very positive reviews.
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