Day 139: Volver

After the death of her husband, Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) is left picking up the pieces and it’s very difficult for her. But she is not alone, her mother returns, history is revealed and the women are stronger as a result.

I love the strong female focus of this film. They work together and help each other when it all seems so difficult. What mothers do for their children is also a strong focus. Raimunda takes responsibility for the death of her husband despite it being her daughter who killed him, and Irene (Carmen Maura) kills her husband upon learning that he abused Raimunda and got her pregnant. Pedro Almodóvar always makes such wonderful films. They’re simple and powerful. It feels like a story is being told rather than so many films that just seem to try and hold the audiences’ attention with fast-pacing and explosions.

9/10

Day 47: All About My Mother

Mother and son, Manuela (Cecilia Roth) and Esteban (Eloy Azorín), have quite a close relationship. Manuela raised him alone, and for his 17^th birthday they go to see ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, which is how she met Esteban’s father. He is excited about getting the autograph of one of the actresses but when he chases her he is hit by a car and dies, leaving Manuela heartbroken. She goes off in search of Esteban’s father, Lola (Toni Cantó), and in her search she develops great friendships and has a chance with another son.

To start with I was a tad uncomfortable with the relationship between Mother and son. It  just seemed a little off to me. She gave him a photo of her when she was younger and he was stroking it. Which made sense after watching the rest of the film (he was stroking the side because she had ripped his Father out of the photo) but I wasn’t to know that at the time. And he’s always staring at her in a strange way. I obviously read too much into it because nothing happened with that potential storyline. Not important!

Manuela and Rosa (Penélope Cruz) seem to become instant friends. I’m not really sure how it happened quite so fast but I loved it all the same. Manuela helps Rosa with her difficult pregnancy and Rosa helps Manuela with her grief as she has something to focus on besides her absent son. My favourite scene might be the one where Manuela, Rosa, Agrado (Antonia San Juan) and Huma (Marisa Paredes) are drinking and joking together. It’s as if they can all forget about their own separate problems for a little while and can just enjoy being with each other (dingdingding, this is definitely my favourite thing, pretty sure I mention it in every blog).

Manuela seems so strong despite her grief and the difficulty she must’ve had raising Esteban alone. She is there for Rosa when her Mother cannot be, she helps Huma through her difficult relationship, and she helps Agrado find work outside of prostitution. Although Manuela is clearly a champ, I think Agrado is my favourite (if I’m forced to choose). The first we see of her is when she’s being beaten up but she rallies and is happy to see her friend again. She is so honest and funny and I just love that.

“You are more authentic the more you resemble what you’ve dreamed of being.”

8/10

Day 30: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Another day for Scarlett Johansson. And this time we also have Rebecca Hall and Penélope Cruz. And it’s a Woody Allen film. Spoiled, that’s what I am.

Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) are spending their summer in Spain. Whilst there they meet the devastatingly charming painter, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) who takes an instant liking to them both and offers to take them off to a beautiful little town. Oh, and also to make love. He has quite the effect on both women (eventually) and it’s interesting to watch.

When Juan Antonio says that he wishes to sleep with both Vicky and Cristina they react a little differently. Cristina isn’t sure what she wants from life yet so is open to new experiences, while Vicky has a life plan and sleeping with a stranger isn't on it. Both agree to fly off to the town with him but only Cristina says she will sleep with him. With the delightful line, “I’ll go to your room but you’ll have to seduce me.”

Cristina is taken ill and it allows Vicky and Juan Antonio to spend time together. Despite her initial misgivings, Vicky quickly warms to him. He is so honest about his feelings about everything, it’s refreshing actually. It’s coming up again, it’s going to be a recurring feature of this blog but: they clearly enjoy spending time together and it’s lovely. He is quite taken with her even though she isn’t the creative type he seems to favour. They listen to music together and are both moved which goes some way in explaining why Vicky drops her guard and gives in to her feelings for him.

They return and Juan Antonio goes off with Cristina. Vicky isn’t sure what to make of it, her life seemed simple to her before: marry Doug, get a big house, live practically. But now it’s all changed and she can’t stop thinking about this impulsive man. Meanwhile, Cristina moves in with Juan Antonio and eventually his ex wife, Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz). While awkward at first they all realise they complement each other nicely and their relationship evolves to include the three of them.

Having more than two people in a relationship has always interested me. Can you find everything you need or want in just one person? I don’t know what the average number of relationships people have in their lives is but each person must have given you something a little different to the last. So why not have more than one other person in a relationship at a time? Perhaps people would be happier that way, relationships might last longer and there might be fewer instances of cheating. I don’t know, it just seems to make sense to have more than just two people in a relationship.

The intensity of Penélope Cruz is wonderful. And I just love the spontaneity all throughout the film and that everyone is so honest about their feelings.

8/10