Review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) by Remote G — 27 Jan 2011

By Jill Lawrie for remotegoat on 21/02/09.

Woody Allen's new movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona delights with some fabulous Mediterranean settings, a light-hearted entertaining and amusing storyline and four very attractive stars!

American friends Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) arrange to spend the summer with a relative in Spain. Vicky is engaged to be married in the autumn, to the unromantic Doug (Chris Messina). She is the practical and traditional of the two, contrasting with her non conforming spontaneous friend.

At the outset Cristina is fascinated by an artist she sees at an exhibition ~ Juan Antonio Gonzalo (Javier Bardem) and when he is spotted again later that evening, she catches his eye. He invites the two girls to a weekend in Oviedo for wine, sightseeing and lovemaking! Predictably they are tempted by his brazen offer and first one and then the other fall for his charms. His volatile ex wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz) dramatically enters the scene and ends up living with Juan Antonio and Cristina ~ a menage a trios develops, but ultimately Cristina is unsettled and still looking for "the something she has not yet found" and heads to France, leaving the sparring couple. Doug surprises by arriving for an impromptu wedding in Spain, but inevitably Vicky's thoughts drift back to the handsome Juan Antonio. A narrator links the characters together as they fall in and out of love, against some wonderful backdrops with atmospheric Catalan music and achingly picturesque buildings, not forgetting many of Spain's traditional sights too. However the scenario leaves the girls much as they began ~ two months earlier!

This film is highly recommended with a 'feel good factor' and some excellent performances from the girls. Penelope Cruz was outstanding and understandably rewarded with a Bafta while Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson captivate in their convincing separate roles.