Whether or not you believe that "Broken Embraces" is Pedro Almodόvar's best film, one thing cannot be denied: it's a film that so passionately celebrates cinema and the filmmaker's love for it.
Multiple stories frame a complex narrative in "Broken Embraces". Mr. Almodόvar trains his lens on Penélope Cruz, his muse. She plays Lena, a woman caught between passion and misery in the film, set in Madrid in the early 1990s and 2008. A film director (Lluís Homar) is blighted by the past while also recalling fond memories in the present as he hibernates in the afterglow of a vibrant affair with Lena, whom he directed during the nineties in a comedy. Back then he was Mateo Blanco. Now, in the early 21st century he is Harry Caine - a hurricane of regrets, mysteries and opportunities. There's Lena's husband Ernesto (José Luis Gόmez), a billionaire business magnate who has helped Lena pre-marriage and produces Blanco's film "Girls With Suitcases". Keeping Blanco in line and on schedule with the film is his agent Judit (Blanca Portillo), and that isn't an easy task.
Mr. Almodόvar cleverly intertwines the threads of tragedy and tenderness in "Broken Embraces", a film that also depicts the cynicism, frustrations and triumphs of the filmmaking process with gusto. A whirlwind of camera movement, some of it volatile, swirling like a hurricane, crystallizes the film's urgent tempo in several shots. Cameras are as much a character as any live being. The different cameras function as markers of the past and present and often as their intersection, creating impressions that sometimes indict or uplift but always captivate us by projecting feeling.
One scene in the latter part of the film accomplishes this feeling and emotion but there's also impenetrability: the closer we get to feeling, the further removed we are, even if we are moved in the process. To this end and in other ways, there's sensory truncation and sensual glory displayed in the director's adventure, accompanied by Alberto Iglesias' beautiful music score.
Unmistakably, Mr. Almodόvar treasures cinema so deeply. He adores it as much as he does Ms. Cruz, whose Lena forms the soul of his latest effort. "Broken Embraces" is undoubtedly a personal statement about the director's relationship with his most treasured collaborator. Mr. Almodόvar's films - often warm and bright ("Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown") and occasionally cold and harsh ("Bad Education") - seem to weep with joy over the beauty of film and its history.
Whether he utilizes Hitchcockian devices or evokes the wrenching emotional pain informing Ingmar Bergman's work, Mr. Almodόvar's unique skill and vision in conveying story, staging, comedy and irony converge powerfully in "Broken Embraces". References to Jeanne Moreau in the 1957 film "Elevator To The Gallows" are no accident. Louis Malle's film noir captures the beauty and mystery of Ms. Moreau. Mr. Almodόvar achieves the same result, chronicling Ms. Cruz as a mysterious beauty while updating her iconic status with a playful nod to the Belgian-born Audrey Hepburn in a montage.
"Broken Embraces", hilarious at times, is a film that should be seen at least twice to be appreciated. On my second viewing of the film I noted that like "Eyes Wide Shut" the colors red and blue appear together or separately in virtually every single shot. Mr. Almodόvar, like Mr. Bergman, is a big fan of the color red. The film's costumes are sometimes enveloped in both colors, representing the heartbeat of these characters, some of whom are funny, others whom are tormented and still others who harbor secrets. Mr. Almodόvar's film plays like a valentine to Ms. Cruz, but just as importantly plays like a valentine to life itself.
"Broken Embraces" is currently playing in U.S. theaters and will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD in the U.S. on March 16.
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Visit Omar Moore's wide-ranging film site at popcornreel.com.
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Saw this on the festival circuit in September. Cannot wait to see it again. Almodovar is one filmmaker I wish we could clone.
I agree with you strongly on this one Omar. Thanks for highlighting this overlooked film of last year.
P.S. Put up a Twitter account and spread the word even further! :)
Okay - I'm already luving this dude! I have yet to see the film, but am very eager esp after this! Omar, you're dreamy!
Omar, you and Roger's unabashed love for this film has me teetering in nt seat. Almodόvar has such a sensual and intimate way of film-making, don't you think? I just saw "Talk to Her" last week and loved it. I have no doubt I'll love this one too.
p.s. there is something about the color red that provokes artists. You can hate it, you can gawk at it, but it stirs something within you and that is undeniable.
Thanks for sharing your passionate insights.
Roger, this "Far-flung Correspondents" piece inexplicably carries your byline. And your own review of "Broken Embraces" has mysteriously disappeared from your home page.
Ebert: That little line up top really means "posted by."
This link to the review works for me:
http://j.mp/69fo3A
I still need to watch "Broken Embraces". Is ok for me to read the review without it getting ruined? Or should I wait till after watching it? Is it spoiler free?
Thanks in advance Omar :)
This is indeed a great film. On the other hand, I like the film-within-a-film even better, MUJERES AL BORDE DE UN ATAQUE DE NERVIOS. ("Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"). I think anyone who likes ABRAZOS ROTOS should see M.A.B.D.U.A.D.N. first.
I still have reservation about it(the story is a little too predictable and has some emotional distance), but the movie is still tantalizing enough to like. I love its gorgeous color scheme, fascinating interplay between film and reality in the movie, and mesmerizing Penelope Cruz. Plus, I enjoyed several movie references.
Oh yes. The review is spoiler-free. I've never liked to even mention too much of what a movie is about, much less give away anything. You can certainly read it! Thanks, Wael!
Hi Seonyong - it's a mesmerizing effort. Has Almodovar done better films? Sure, but interestingly I loved this one more than some of his better efforts. "Broken Embraces" grew on me the second time around. It may well gain appreciation in the future. I love how Pedro Almodovar put in the movie references not just to put them there but to insert them both as irony and metaphor. Simply beautiful.
Thanks Grace-and I wholeheartedly agree. The depth of intimacy in Pedro Almodovar's films is very striking indeed. Teeming with affection. The passion utilized in Broken Embraces is manifested in numerous ways. There's an energy to the director's passions that are very powerful as well. I look forward to finding out what your reaction to Broken Embraces is when you get to see it. I appreciate your feedback!
Hi Anne - I agree. "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown" is a must-see!
Thanks Jenna for your kind words. Take it to the bank, I think you will admire "Broken Embraces". There's a lot going on in it, both on and beneath the surface.
Hi Michael - and thanks for responding. "Broken Embraces" was strangely overlooked last year here in the U.S. I hope that the DVD release next month will spur some interest. I think your suggestion about a Twitter page for the film is a good idea. Stay tuned!
Hi Kelly - Pedro Almodovar has compiled a remarkable body of work with his films. Definitely a master craftsman. I hope that "Broken Embraces" gains traction in the years to come. Thanks for the comment!
I think that Penelope Cruz should have been nominated for her Oscar in this instead of the Fellini ripoff.
well penelope cruz has so much in beauty not in physical but in all aspect... and i really admire her coz for me the face and body is almost perfect, i wish i had a chance to meet her.