Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Woody Allen

If there’s something to be loved or admired about Woody Allen - and I speak with respect to the film under discussion - his ability to make a tale sensible, inspiring, sexy, passionate - all at the same time, would arguably rank as the first, followed closely by his flair for infusing intellect, intelligence and conviction in a seemingly inane (or even sexual) subject matter. Of course, most of this review will be focused on elaborating on the aforementioned, but let me take the liberty to tell you one thing before you go any further. If you’re a conformist when it comes to relationships, love or passion or you simply don’t want to step out of your carefully preserved world, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is probably not for you. Because while watching this film, you don’t debate over love, commitment, or madness; you simply get it or you don’t! Does that remind you of Pedro Almodovar? Perhaps it should, because not only is the film reminiscent of themes in his works, it is also co-produced by him.

Cristina (Scarlett Johannson) and Vicky (Rebecca Hall), two childhood friends, decide to take a trip together to the beautiful country of Spain but for entirely different reasons. Vicky just wants to enjoy her last week of perceived “freedom” before she is hitched to the well-off, caring and sweet but boring yuppie Doug, whereas Cristina is looking for emotional catharsis after a break-up, and potentially a fulfilling, boiling romance. Cristina is sensuous, open-minded, and free-spirited, more in love with beauty than self-inflicted principles. Vicky is the opposite - conventional, opinionated and restrained. At a party, they catch the attention of a controversial local painter Juan Antonio (the Spanish flavor of the season Javier Bardem), who offers to take them on a weekend trip to Oviedo for some fun, frolic (of the sexual variety) and sightseeing. Vicky is appalled at his directness and the bold proposition, but convinced by an eager and thoroughly floored Cristina, agrees to tag along.

Initially disapproving of Juan Antonio and his ways, Vicky finds soon that Juan Antonio is a perplexing but interesting man. As Cristina is bedridden, Vicky and Juan Antonio spend more time and eventually, a night together. For Juan Antonio, who attracted to both the women, it’s nothing more than a one night stand with a woman with whom he has no future, but for Vicky, it’s a moment that turns her well-kept world upside down. She loses interest in her relationship,with Doug, questions her values and beliefs and falls for the very man who she was least likely to love.

Cristina on the other hand, reciprocates Juan Antonio’s affections and their relationship blossoms as she “senses the possibility of a relationship [with] an exciting man” (as narrated). But exciting people often have a lot of emotional baggage with them. For Cristina, this appears in the form of Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz in a stunning artsy avatar), the sensuous, brilliant and passionate ex-wife of Juan Antonio, with whom he apparently has a pretty wild and tumultuous history. Initially apprehensive of her, Christina soon falls for Maria Elena as well, and three of them become, well, a couple. She becomes that “missing element” in their lives that initially led to their passionate marriage to fall apart, even though they are in an inexplicably crazy, but fulfilling love with each other.

Soon she is fed up of her ménage-et-trois, and informs her crestfallen lovers of her sudden desire to end the arrangement. She leaves, and as expected, the union of Juan Antonio and Maria Elena crumbles as well. In the meanwhile, Vicky’s feelings for Juan Antonio haven’t exactly diminished, and she yearns for him while she is in a stable, but boring marriage. As she learns of the latest happenings in their lives, she decides to meet up with Juan Antonio one last time before she leaves for New York, but the meeting turns chaotic as an enraged Maria Elena turns up and shoots Vicky accidentally in the arm with a pistol, leading to a minor injury. Soon afterwards, Vicky, Christina and Doug leave for United States after their eventful trip.

Although Vicky Cristina Barcelona is so sexually charged that you might be tempted to believe that it’s as much about lesbians, bohemian artists, threesomes and marital frustrations, as it is about art, but really that would be an erroneous (and myopic) conclusion. When Juan Antonio declares that “he and Maria Elena are meant and not meant to be together”, it sounds so foolishly contradictory that we think it’s just a ploy to get into another woman’s pants. His advances towards the women in the beginning sound bold, almost risqué, and perhaps most women (read prudes) would be offended like Vicky does, even if we think he’s refreshingly charming and original. So what if he wants sex! Shouldn’t a spade be called a spade? You may also be inclined to ask - How would the presence of a stranger become the “missing link” that gives the otherwise perfect but incomplete love of two crazy lovers a new lease of life? Is it some artistic or intellectual hogwash meant to cover up a fetish for threesomes and present it more tastefully? After all, we are used to the principle of duality of passion and romance that even the thought of an anomaly in this approach (like a fulfilling three-way relationship) is nauseating, but perhaps this is exactly the notion that Mr. Allen wants us to get rid of as blasphemous as it sounds – passion in itself cannot be defined. And this is what the film explores.

In addition, Allen also tells us that freedom is seldom what we think it is. One’s own concoction of morals and ideologies often become unpalatable after a while, because we discount one simple thing - At certain level we want chaos. Routine is boring. Something that rattles us and threatens our well-guarded order is appealing in a strange way, even if turns our lives upside down. We are scared by the chaos, and when we are scared, we are also excited. We then become more adventurous and end up taking risks, because that's exhilarating. That’s how the heart works! Cristina is led by her heart and so are Juan Antonio and Maria Elena, (who seem to defy everything mundane), but the “sensible” Vicky is torn apart in the conflict between her heart and mind, much like Judy (their host in Spain), who sees Vicky repeating her mistake and warns her against it. But Woody knows us well, and he’s turned us inside out to show us how we really are deep down with our mind and heart in a constant tug-of-war.

Of course, Mr. Allen does this with aplomb. He takes us into the most picturesque heart of Spain, while he tells us this surreal story, which gives the film its character. Such stories could only be told in European villages far away from “America’s tyrannical and materialistic culture”, in the quaint little villages, charming roadside cafes and gorgeous houses. If the milieu weren’t enough, the flamenco music is enough to put one in trance. In a scene, where Juan Antonio and Vicky are lost in the sounds of a guitar, we know exactly where they are, because we are there too. The narration (by actor Christopher Evan Welch) also deserves a mention here. It is another aspect that partly gives the story its humorous, yet no-nonsense tale-like quality.

So that leaves us with the performances. With exception to Scarlett Johannson (who’s managed to look quite beautiful but dwarfed in comparison with others in the acting department), most actors are impeccable. Javier Bardem proves how he can get inside the skin of any character he takes up. We have already demonstrated how outstanding he was as the merciless killer in No country for old men, and the quadriplegic in The Sea Inside. The Academy may have made a lot of mistakes this year in terms of their selections, but nominating Penelope Cruz for the best supporting actress was possibly one of their better decisions. She is growing with every film as an actress, and sky seems to be the limit. Rebecca Hall deserves all the credit as well, she’s simply done a commendable job.

So the verdict? This one is as easy as they get . Great acting, gorgeous locales, beautiful women, captivating art, mermerizing music, oozing sexuality - what's not to like? And Cruz and Johansson in their arguably most sensual avatars is surely the added bonus! Two thumbs up.

A glimpse of this spicy and sensuous flick: