Review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) by Caitlin L — 20 Apr 2014

Under the same recommendation of the friend of mine that suggested I witness Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris was that I also see Vicky Cristina Barcelona. And again, I have discovered a new favourite Woody Allen film.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is just beautiful, because it's very similar to Midnight in Paris. When I say that, I mean its a complicated exploration of love set in a beautiful location full of wondrous scenery and complicated characters. And it also has a very insightful screenplay which a Woody Allen film rarely lacks, and in Vicky Cristina Barcelona it's easy to learn just what every character is about based in the words that have been written for them.

Woody Allen exercises his taste in beautiful scenery in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Shot on location in Barcelona, Vicky Cristina Barcelona shows all of the most beautiful sights and locations on offer. And it's consistently mood defining, because even in certain scenes where nothing is said, there is so much you can understand from the scenery and the feel created by the beautiful musical score which keeps the film rather light like the light touch of comedy Woody Allen adds to prevent Vicky Cristina Barcelona from dissolving into melodramatic territory.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona also benefits from excellent cinematography used to shoot the great scenery, as well as a peaceful pace and some good editing. It's a very atmospheric film and strong visual experience, so Vicky Cristina Barcelona is one of Woody Allen's greatest late period films.

And as usual with his cinema, Vicky Cristina Barcelona features a perfect cast.

Rebecca Hall covers much of the first part of the story, and in his own subtle way Woody Allen makes the story all about her. I found her to be the most interesting character because without throwing the messages in the viewers face, we learn that her character Vicky has had to settle for a very judgemental and materialistic man, and that at the first chance she has of exploring a bout of romantic heat, she suddenly changes the path of her life. And the whole journey she takes is great because we see small changes in her that develop over the course of the film, in the way she makes facial gestures and in the way she delivers her lines. She's such a complicated and interesting character, and honestly Rebecca Hall's talents in the role were so excellent that I believe she deserves an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.

Scarlett Johansson also does a really good job, because as well as being genuinely beautiful she maintains an image of innocence and a somewhat sense of naivety so that Cristina's time in Barcelona turns into a strongly educational experience, and we all are educated as viewers as well. And her performance is consistently charming.

Javier Bardem is an interesting character in Vicky Cristina Barcelona because after witnessing the immense power of his amazing performance in No Country for Old Men, to see him in such a significantly toned down film role in a character that is both mentally scarred and somehow spiritual is refreshing, and his performance was spot on.

Penelope Cruz, although not on screen for very much time, does manage to steal the screen from both Javier Bardem and Scarlet Johansson because she instantly makes a massive impact on the story. Her character Maria Elena is talked about a lot by the other characters so finding out who she is and what she means is important, and through the strong talents of Penelope Cruz, we find that out without problem. She is at some of her strongest and most powerful in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and it gives positive credit to the film.

So Vicky Cristina Barcelona is just a beautiful film. Although it's not as funny as it could have been, it's a great exploration of the thing that love is.