Woody Allen's movies are unfailingly interesting. Even when he's not firing on all cylinders, as with the bizarre 1996 musical Everyone Says I Love You or 2003's decent Anything Else, his work is just inherently interesting. There's always a rhythm and a flow to his movies, and an underlying energy that keeps most of them afloat even in their most perilous moments. When Allen makes a genuinely superb movie, such as Match Point — certainly his best this decade — it's thrilling. But all I ask of an Allen film is for it to be interesting, and with that in mind, Vicky Cristina Barcelona fits the bill.
The fact that the entire cast is ridiculously photogenic doesn't hurt. Allen has always had a thing for beautiful women, and his 21st-century muse Scarlett Johansson is perhaps the most beautiful. She stars as one half of the titular traveling duo, Cristina, who is described in the (at times cumbersome) narration as believing in the opposite romantic ideals as Vicky; she accepts that pain is a part of love, and that it might even help fuel the lust, casting her character in a tragically hip light. Cristina wrote, directed, edited, and acted in a 12-minute short film which she subsequently hated, and has spent her time since dabbling in photography. She longs to write poetry, but can't, and at one point describes herself as a talentless person who unfortunately has much to express.
Rebecca Hall is attractive in a more naturalistic and down-to-earth fashion, warm and inviting where Johansson is formidable. This works well to contrast Johansson's Cristina with Hall's Vicky, who believes in absolute loyalty and commitment, constantly criticizing Cristina for her frisky flings. Vicky, who is studying Catalan identity yet doesn't seem to have figured out a purpose for such study, invites Cristina to Barcelona, where they will stay at her Aunt Judy's (Patricia Clarkson) house for the summer. They spend their days scoping out the sights and taking in simmering Spanish-guitar playing. One night after attending an art exhibit where Cristina can't stop eyeing one of the dashing painters, they head to a restaurant where that same painter just happens to be dining. His name is Juan Antonio, and he is played by Javier Bardem, certainly one of the best-looking actors working today. He's done away with the creepy stare he employed in the riveting No Country for Old Men, not to mention that infamous Prince Valiant haircut, and he's in full-on sex mode here.
Article comments
1 - Luke
This is an excellent article. I'm a huge Woody fan but haven't seen this one yet. I feel that you aptly described the film without giving it away. I'll be looking for more of your reviews in the future.