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First of all, I’d like to admit that I admire Woody Allen’s work, both as a
director and actor. However, since ’99 I’m witnessing year after year the
gradual degradation of his productions. Where have his neurotic sense of
humor and funny egocentrism gone? The only exception in this pattern is
Anything else (with brilliant
Jason Biggs), which still represents a typical Allen’s style. Now, I have a
feeling that my favorite director has lost his creativity and enthusiasm and
that’s why has become a filmmaker for the masses. This would somehow explain
the high popularity of his recent movies and the fact that Allen himself is
now the pop culture icon.
This having been said, let’s concentrate on
Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Saying that I totally dislike it won’t shock you after what you have read.
Nevertheless, I’m one of few who didn’t enjoy the movie. At the time when it
was in theatres wherever I went I heard how genius and amazing it was.
People rushed to shopping centers to buy the soundtrack, everyone felt in
love with Penelope Cruz and, of course, with Barcelona.
One evening, I bought a ticket. The truth was devastating. It was just a bad
movie. Bad from the very beginning. At first, I thought that the “voice”
that explained (if there was anything that has to be explained) the reality
would stop while the action went on. What a surprise when it didn’t. I don’t
really understand what convention it was meant to be, but, as for me, it
failed. In fact, the only thing that the operation of introducing the
narrator achieved, was making the story even more shallow and trivial that
it had already been.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
reminds me of the novels written by Paulo Coelho. Both present a bunch of
insignificant, banal “truths” (such as: only unfulfilled love can be
romantic, etc.) that, for its simplicity, are rapidly captivated by the most
of the readers or viewers and don’t need to be reconsidered or analyzed.
Nevertheless, there are still some people who can notice the difference
between art and trash, truth and banality. This group can easily say why
Vicky Cristina Barcelona is
such a disaster. Starting from the leading voice, through the main plot that
bases on clichés and opposites as evident as black and white, the reduction
of the Catalan culture to Gaudi and Miro, the stereotypes of American and
Spanish and a complete lack of any intellectual pleasure that Allen’s movies
used to provide us with.
As to the actors, I’m disappointed. I have no idea why Penelope Cruz was
honored with Oscar for this, rather insignificant, role and not for her
marvelous acting in Almodovar Volver or All about my mother instead.. Javier
Bardem couldn’t spread his wings in this production as his character had
been reduced to the Spanish stereotype. Rebecca Hall, who played Vicky, was
trying to act as a female version of Woody Allen himself but, in my opinion,
the effect was rather pathetic. Johansson, sexy and seducing as always, is
the only bright side of this movie. She deserves much better roles, though.
Finally, from my point of view, this movie is one of the worst in Allen’s
director career. Maybe sometimes it’s better to stop when it’s not too late,
in all the splendor and respect, than to create such mistakes and gain cheap
popularity? Well, this is Mr. Allen’s choice.
21:10:2008
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di Natalia
holownja
