Volver

Year: 2006

Grade: C+

Country: Spain

Director: Almodovar

Review

the second film i’ve seen today (notes on a scandal is the other) that features a scene with an oscar nominated actress on the toilet. this almodovar film is like many of his others in that men are simply drawn and women carry the bulk of the film. i found it to be a more interesting film than most of his others that i’ve seen, but still not worthy of high praise. in some ways the picture was more hitchcockean or reminiscent of clouzou than of almodovar. in fact, it was this fact that kept me in my seat, rather than going to see dreamgirls, as the second film in my double feature. the film drags in the end when the emotional stuff is getting wrapped up. emotionally, i was never into the film. i didn’t feel good or bad about any of the characters so i didn’t really care about their hardships or dead(?) mothers. cruz’s performance was so-so and earns a question mark in my book. a question mark because i don’t know why the academy gave her the nomination. here, as usual with almodovar, the best part may have been the visuals.

Watched in theater