Stale Popcorn

Vicky Christina Barcelona tells the story of two American girlfriends, the titular Vicky & Christina, as they head off to Barcelona for a couple of months in the summer, staying with a distant relation of Vicky’s. For the begining of their stay they are both overjoyed with the city. Vicky (Rebecca Hall), who is described by the ever present narrator as “practical and traditional in her approach to love and commitment”, is researching for her masters in Catalan Identity and is moved by Spanish guitarists and is engaged to be married to the sensible and reliable Doug , while Christina (Scarlet Johansson) is more spontaneous and unsure of what she wants in life and is just getting over a bad relationship.

One night while attending an art gallery with their hosts, the pair notice the artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). Christina cannot take her eyes off of him and while the pair are having dinner later on they are approached by the artist who offers them the chance to accompany him to Oviedo where they can sight-see and make love.

Despite Vicky’s misgivings the pair accompany him and, although Juan Antonio and Christina hit it off, and very nearly make love, it is actually with the less interested Vicky that Juan Antonio ends up sleeping with, due to Christina becoming ill.

Back in Barcelona Vicky is repentant for what she has done and distances herself from Juan Antonio while the artist and Christina grow ever closer, eventually culminating with Christina moving in with him. For a little while it all seems OK, but then Vicky’s fiance arrives and they get married and Juan Antonio’s ex-wife Maria (played by Penelope Cruz) turns up and moves in with Juan Antonio and Christina, eventually becoming their lover.

Soon Vicky is going to have to decide if she wants to follow her heart or her head, as she has fallen in love with Juan Antonio and Christina is going to have to decide just what she wants out of life. So what will happen in the end?

And more specifically, will we care?

See, that’s my problem. I didn’t care. Vicky, as played by Rebecca Hall, is pretty darn boring and I found it very hard to care whether she was with the equally boring Doug or Juan Antonio. Christina, played by Scarlet Johansson, just comes across as a slut (it’s never in doubt that she is going to drop her knickers for Juan Antonio – the question really was when not if!) and everything that happens to her she brings upon herself.

Equally, Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio just mumbles his way through the movie. I know he is a quality actor, from his role in No Country For Old Men, but here he is just bland. There is nothing there that would explain why these three women are so enamoured with the artist and how he manages to make them all love him.

And then there is Penelope Cruz. What can I say? Well, she plays a crazy lady very well! But that’s all there is to her role. She screams a lot, cries and that’s about it.

Also there is another problem. Vicky Christina Barcelona was released in the UK on Monday, and over the weekend there have been a number of TV adverts on for it. All of which have described it as a “Romantic Comedy”. Surely then there should be some romance and some comedy? So why did I spend the whole time NOT laughing and unimpressed by the supposed romance, which really just amounted to Juan Antonio whisking two strangers off to somewhere they didn’t know and plying them with alcohol! Call me old fashioned, but that’s not romantic!

But there could be another problem with this movie. And that is me. Y’see, I’ve never really understood the high opinions people have of Woody Allen. I’ve never really liked him as a director or actor. And my opinions of Woody Allen movies tend to be quite low. And this is a Woody Allen movie through and through.

But there is nothing here that he does as writer and director to make it interesting. The characters are bland, the script uninteresting and the plot plodding.

Maybe, if you are a big Woody Allen fan, give it a go and you might well enjoy it but for me this was one of the more boring movies I have endured this year and I really cannot recommend it as a good nights entertainment.

Posted on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 at 4:55 pm under DVD Reviews (R2) by Gareth.

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