Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz’s latest collaboration was a definite showcase for the actress, a lot like how his previous film, “Pain and Glory”, was a showcase for Antonio Banderas. However, the difference between these two films was that the latter was rooted in honesty and raw emotionality whereas this film leaned towards soap opera melodrama with a lot of excessive and wide ranging emotions.
That was brilliant for an actress like Cruz who got to bring her character through all the different emotions and really nailed it at every turn. But that also resulted in a film that felt detached and inauthentic. It also did not help that Milena Smit who was Cruz’s main scene partner throughout most of the film was not at the same calibre as Cruz. Therefore, their dynamic always seemed off and imbalance, and less interesting then it could have been especially given the soap opera nature of the main narrative.
Speaking of which, the film also surprisingly was quite predictable. Although at times it appeared that Almodóvar was going to do a left turn but it always ended up heading straight forward - as expected. Would that be some sort of genius anti-subversion move? Or just commercial forces leading the art?
That being said, kudos to Almodóvar for weaving in politics rather seamlessly into the film. Although, at times it did seemed forced, but ultimately the parallel with the main narrative was made.
The music by Alberto Iglesias also stood out with its rather whimsical yet dramatic score. Not surprising then that he got an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score.
Cruz definitely deserved her Best Actress Oscar nomination, but despite her having won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival, her chance of repeating at the Oscars is rather slim. Nonetheless, her performance itself definitely elevated the film and made that 120 minutes enjoyable.
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