Vicky Cristina Barcelona Reviews

Dull, predictable and full of ridiculously long sentences spouting pseudo-cleverness while actually being quite irritating.
A superb cast wasted on characters that you simply cannot like. Sadly it's only Barcelona itself that comes out well, as it is beautifully shot and lovingly detailed.

The ineffective voiceover is only of the many flaws in Woody Allen's latest, a film that could've worked as a delightful, sexy and insightful examination of relationships, and manages to not work as any of these things. Vicky Cristina Barcelona has TWO positive things going for it, both of which are almost great enough to counteract the mediocrity: 1) the awesomely beautiful shots of Spain, and 2) Penelope Cruz's supporting performance. The first of these two is a constant throughout the film, but the latter doesn't emerge till about halfway through the film, when Maria Elena (Cruz) enters the scene. It's too bad because the film may have actually had a chance at being good had this character been its focus. Cruz is at times hilarious and at times heartbreaking, and doesn't miss a beat. But her great work is accompanied by so-so performances, given by actors all of whom have given far better performances in other films (most notably Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson).

It's a risky decision for a filmmaker to choose to have a voiceover to provide narration over the course of his/her film; I think it's the kind of thing that can either work wonderfully or catastrophically. Last year, I was surprised with how well it worked in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. It was less effective in Into the Wild, a film that is very good, but could've been magnificent had Sean Penn not elected to jam his viewpoints down our throats with the voiceover given by none other than Jena Malone's annoying voice. A great recent example is the voiceover used in Little Children, which was a magnificent tool that truly got us to understand the characters; it was perfectly synchronized with facial reactions and situations to give us a full emotional grasp of what was happening. That is the exact opposite of what happens in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and what's worse is that you realize this from the very beginning: the voiceover informs us of the reasons why our protagonists, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) have come to the Spanish city of Barcelona, and it also makes sure to inform us of their completely opposite views on love and relationships... only to have both of them soon discuss the reasons why they're in Barcelona, and only to have their words and actions throughout the film serve as enough to let us realize each woman's philosophy on love. So, not only is the voiceover detrimental, distracting and bothersome, but worst of all, it's completely unnecessary. You can't help but feel that Allen didn't think the viewer would be smart enough to realize these things and that we needed to receive the information like that, which is a bit insulting. I've never thought of Allen as being a pretentious filmmaker/screenwriter. Yes, he likes to examine pretentiousness in his films, but that doesn't make him pretentious. But this leads me to wonder.

There's quite an amount of moments in which it becomes evident that this movie is less an exploration of philosophies on love/relationships and more a statement of "everything European is great and edgy and awesome, while everything American is lame and undesirable". This is stated bluntly during (you guessed it) a voiceover during which Cristina is on a bicycle and we're informed that she has undergone a transition from the American "purist" approach to the European "free-thinking" approach, and it is even more obvious during a scene in which Vicky and her fiance have dinner with another American couple and the conversation centers around their obsession with how up-to-date they are on the technology of their satellite dish, etc. Okay, we get it, you're biased and you think all Americans are lacking intellect and are obsessed with material things, and you think the opposite of all Europeans. I don't care about whether someone has stereotypical views on something, because that's their problem, but what does bother me is when we are led on to believe that a film is going to be an insightful exploration of romantic interactions, and we instead get a blatant sermon (which would've been blatant enough without the voiceover, but the voiceover just makes it that much worse).

There are some ways in which I'm at a loss as to what to say about this film, because for example, the moment involving the kiss between Cristina and Maria Elena (told by Cristina, as a memory) comes off as being a very inauthentic moment (and those looking to get any sort of erotic pleasure from it will be disappointed, as it is a very short, uneventful moment). BUT the moment in which Cristina confronts Maria Elena and Juan Antonio about her dissatisfaction with their three-way relationship works very well. Perhaps it's because Cruz does such a good job in this scene, and perhaps I also feel like this because I speak Spanish and was able to understand what she was saying without needing the subtitles. If there's one thing that saves this film from being disastrous, it is Cruz. After watching both this and Volver, I have no doubt that she should stick to movies in which she's in her native element because she handles the material wonderfully.

The other performances are somewhat disappointing. Bardem and Johansson have given dozens upon dozens of better performances than what they offer us here. Rebecca Hall's work ranges from mostly so-so to laughably bad in a few select scenes. Patricia Clarkson is mostly underused, which is okay during the first two thirds of the film when her character is not particularly significant, but it is NOT okay towards the end of the film when her character suddenly becomes crucial to certain plot elements (a transition that definitely happens in a jarring way, too).

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a surprisingly simplistic film, which is far from what can be said of so many of Allen's previous efforts. Three years ago, he came up with the absolutely brilliant Match Point, and yes, "brilliant" is right - that film's script paid such great attention to so many nuances and was crafted so intelligently that it's hard to believe we're talking about the same screenwriter. One thing I did appreciate in Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a moment in which Johansson's character utters the phrase "unless you blow it," which fans of Match Point will immediately recognize. The only difference is that in the 2005 film, the line is uttered seriously, and it is a pivotal line, as it marks one of the many things that will lead to the adulterous affair that lies at the center of that film's plot, whereas in this film, it is uttered in a lighthearted moment, which makes sense. A year after Match Point, Allen came up with the very lame Scoop. (Also, Allen did a movie titled Cassandra's Dream recently, but I didn't see that) At least Vicky Cristina Barcelona doesn't sink to the level of lameness of Scoop, but unfortunately, it is still a mediocre film. When Match Point was released, many believed that the director/screenwriter should move to Europe permanently, as it seemed perhaps his films would become much better. But watching Vicky Cristina Barcelona, it's hard not to think that perhaps his stay on that continent has led him to adopt this clearly biased philosophy that, as I mentioned, he is clearly hiding under this film's ostensible label as a film that explores the dynamics of love. Though the visuals are wonderful and Cruz is excellent, this is a mostly uninsightful and disappointing motion picture. There's no question in my mind that it could've been a lot better.

By viewing the poster of this film, you might get the impression that it 's a chick flick but when you watch it, it isn't one at all. This film has that taste that makes it like a romantic comedy in which it has but has a slight piece of drama and tension involved between the characters. Vicky Cristina Barcelona was a humourous film but I wouldn't call it an ultimate laugh-out-loud hilarious comedy. It seems more of a black comedy to me which is why I find it to be quite a dark comedy because there is a man who loves three different women at the same time. I wouldn't call it one of the best films of 2008 nor the best comedy but it is the best romantic-comedy of 2008. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is an enjoyable film but what disappointed me a bit was that Penélope Cruz wasn't in it as much as I thought she would be.


These past two years have been very different for Javier Bardem. He portrayed a cold-hearted, murdering monster in an Oscar winning performance in Coen's No Country For Old Men and then playing a man with mixed tastes for women. We see Bardem behave like he would with his real friends and family regarding his Spanish accent and speaking lots of Spanish. His acting wasn't Oscar worthy but it was a very enjoyable performance with a really interesting character. This film does have an absolutely awesome cast. As much as I love Scarlett Johansson and her films, I would call her performance as Cristina a slightly flawed one because Cristina was in love with Juan Antonio Gonzalo and I couldn't really understand her feelings but the one thing I must say is that she was HOT as always. Rebecca Hall was better as Vicky. Vicky travelled to Barcelona with her friend Cristina where they both meet Juan Antonio Gonzalo. Hall's performance was better than Scarlett Johansson's. Penélope Cruz was amazing as Maria Elena because she made her character very dangerous, selfish,, an ultimate bitch, irresistible and a slightly kind caring woman. Cruz worked hard when portraying Maria because of using a lot of Spanish with Javier Bardem in front of their American/British co-stars.


Woody Allen is a really good director for making romantic comedies and that is something not many directors are good at. He makes this film seem like a chick flick but it isn't at all as I said. Allen has created Oscar winning films such as Annie Hall but films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Match Point are films that are just really entertaining. The way this film was written was very original with a lot of special moments between the characters and the absolutely beautiful sceneries of the buildings, inside the houses, the markets etc.


This film won and was nominated for 1 Oscar: Best Supporting Actress (Penélope Cruz) beating Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson and Marisa Tomei. It won 1 Golden Globe out of 4 nominations. It won Best Picture Musical/Comedy beating Burn After Reading, Happy-Go-Lucky, In Bruges and Mamma Mia!. It was nominated for Best Actor Musical/Comedy (Javier Bardem) but lost to Colin Farrell in In Bruges, Best Actress Musical/Comedy (Rebecca Hall) but lost to Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky and Best Supporting Actress (Penélope Cruz) but lost to Kate Winslet in The Reader.


Vicky Cristina Barcelona isn't one of the best films of 2008 but it is a very enjoyable film nothing more. Cruz's performance is amazing and very much deserved the Oscar award. It is the most disappointing Scarlett Johansson performance so far. Woody Allen's least best film so far after Match Point and Annie Hall. It is a really good film that I could only watch once just like maybe some other people could.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, or Woody Allen’s loving tribute to Spain. And neurotic and screwed up artists. If the movie had focused on Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz) and Juan Diego (Javier Bardem), we might have had a neo-Woody classic, but instead he chose to focus on his latest masturbatory nubile young obsession. It’s not that Scarlett Johansson isn’t talented, she is, the same goes for Rebecca Hall, but the characters they’re stuck with just aren’t as engaging as the two artists (they're like two female versions of Woody). Or perhaps a film about the two of them would have been too sexual and dangerous? I don’t know. Penelope Cruz did justly win her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her committed take on Sophia Loren-as-Frida Kahlo, I mean, Maria Elena. She comes into the film towards the very end, but she packs a crazed, delicious energy which the rest of the breezy, but too light film could have used.

"Maria Elena used to say that only unfulfilled love can be romantic."

Woody Allen sustains his unmatchable filmmaking pace of helming at least one movie every year (keeping this up since 1982) with 2008's Vicky Cristina Barcelona; this intricate and thoroughly enjoyable examination of the vagaries of love. That the 72-year-old writer/director still manages to say something about the subject is impressive enough, but the fact that he successfully expresses himself through two young women makes this accomplishment all the more stunning. Vicky Cristina Barcelona marks Allen's fourth (and final) consecutive film shot outside of the United States (returning to New York for his 2009 release). The European locales of Allen's 2005-2008 body of work (Match Point, Scoop, Cassandra's Dream and the film in question) have given his pictures a less insular feel, and the picturesque location work of Vicky Cristina Barcelona is particularly stunning. Allen's 2008 project also succeeds due to the enchanting cast, the pleasant atmosphere, and the delightful soundtrack (consisting of lovely local music).

As the movie opens, the soon-to-be-married Vicky (Hall) and her best friend Cristina (Johansson) are arriving in Barcelona for a vacation. Not long after their arrival they meet Juan Antonio (Bardem); a charming Spaniard painter who invites the two girls to spend the weekend with him in a nearby town. Cristina - an impulsive romantic - loves the idea, whereas the more analytical Vicky - with her fiancé waiting back home - is uncertain. After some persuasion, the ladies agree to accompany Juan Antonio, and (predictably) they both quickly become enamoured with him. But Juan Antonio's fiery ex-wife Maria Elena (Cruz), with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, re-enters his life in the wake of a suicide attempt. To further complicate matters, Vicky's fiancé Doug (Messina) decides to travel to Barcelona to surprise Vicky with an impromptu wedding.

"We are meant for each other and not meant for each other. It's a contradiction."

The relationship between Juan Antonio and Maria Elena is especially fascinating. As a couple they represent a romantic cliché: the two lovers who are meant to be together, but whose relationship cannot ever work on account of tragic flaws in their personalities. As it turns out, Cristina is the element their previous relationships have lacked - she functions as an effective mood stabiliser. Thus, a threesome is created. The much-hyped liplock between Cruz and Johansson is a consequence of this...but settle down, tiger, as there's precious little making out to be found here.

Allen employs a classic "summer relationship abroad" story - what happens in Barcelona stays in Barcelona - and uses it as a platform on which to ponder what love means to each of his characters. Framed by an expository voice-over, Vicky Cristina Barcelona carries the intentional feel of a short story - a contemporary parable, perhaps - on the enduring difficulties of relationships and the pursuit for love. Unfortunately, deliberate or not, Woody Allen's checklist of clichés runs long. Both Vicky and Cristina are archetypal American travellers; one with a life and fiancé back home, the other dictated by desire and open to any experience. Enter Spaniard caricatures: the interesting stranger who opens the girls' souls to art, and his fiery ex-lover driven by fervour and insanity. The clichés are extremely detrimental. Luckily, though, the characters are beguiling nonetheless and the film entertains to no end. Allen's European postcard works as breezy entertainment and is a dosage of pure joy.

Despite the clichés, the four central protagonists do come across as actual people. It most certainly helps that writer/director Allen has amassed such a magnificent cast to bring these characters to life. There's a credible spark of chemistry between all of them, and Javier Bardem in particular is astoundingly charming. Not many men could proposition two women within a few minutes of meeting them before convincing them to spend a romantic weekend with him in an unfamiliar city. The immaculate Bardem makes this entirely believable rather than just a silly male fantasy. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is sultry without ever coming across as exploitative, and this intensity is only amplified by the sparkling wit of Allen's dialogue.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona moves at a brisk pace and is light on its feet. It engages an audience in its central discussion (about love) without ever being too overbearing about it. Most impressive about Woody Allen's more modern output is the remarkable control he exerts over his camera. His storytelling approach becomes increasingly more efficient, opting to travel down the most direct route to his destination without taking detours into superfluous exposition. In actual fact, this time Allen utilises an omniscient narrator (voiced by actor Christopher Evan Welch) to dispense explanations wherever necessary, which allows him to plunge straight into the story and move quickly over transitional moments. This enables Allen to pack a great deal of story into a tight 96-minute running time. However, the narrator is definitely overused. Half the time there's nothing insightful or witty about the disembodied observations - the narrator states the obvious! One of the most basic rules of filmmaking is "show, don't tell". Overusing the narrator allows Allen to re-write the rule as "tell, don't show". The clichés, coupled with the excessive narration, are the only missteps of an otherwise fine motion picture.

"Vicky and Cristina decided to spend the summer in Barcelona. Vicky was completing her master's in Catalan Identity, which she had become interested in through her great affection for the architecture of Gaudí. Cristina, who spent the last six months writing, directing, and acting in a 12-minute film which she then hated, had just broken up with yet another boyfriend and longed for a change of scenery."

Woody Allen has casting down to a science at this point. Javier Bardem won an Academy Award in 2008 for his performance as one of the creepiest killers ever to walk the earth in No Country for Old Men. In Allen's movie, the actor oozes charisma as the charming Spanish painter. Penélope Cruz won an Oscar for her sizzling performance here as the hot-blooded Maria Elena.
Bardem and Cruz are both spectacular! The repartee between them is energising and dynamic; the pair switching from English to Spanish (sometimes in mid-sentence) with absolutely mesmerising precision. Their relationship feels so undeniably authentic. The years of pain, anguish, understanding and love is evident in their expressions and the way they communicate.
Scarlett Johansson (Allen's latest woman of choice) appears as Cristina; an artist struggling to find her voice, flirting with poetry and photography as a replacement for filmmaking. Johansson's portrayal is convincing and perfectly subdued. The actress comes across as natural as opposed to Hollywood, and this is a quality spread across to everyone in the cast (in fact Allen is sublime at capturing naturalistic performances). Rebecca Hall (the least-known of the primary cast) gives a deep, heartfelt performance as Vicky; a grad student fascinated by Catalan culture who has decided to travel to Barcelona to absorb it firsthand. Hall's portrayal is extremely enthralling; allowing a viewer to feel for her awkward position.

Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona doesn't shrug love off merely as an abstract destination for stock characters to chase for ninety minutes. The director is instead more fascinated by the pursuit; how it transforms and torments, and how love isn't merely an interchangeable, simply defined notion but a connection that can mean different things to different people. Allen strikes a terrific balance between light-hearted romance and an intelligent examination of the pursuit of love. He does so with a set of vividly-drawn, albeit clichéd characters brought to life by a delightful cast. Vicky Cristina Barcelona may begin as a conventional concept of a romantic summer in Europe, but it soon transforms into a delectably amusing and poignant motion picture which is just as much fun for the audience as it is for the aging writer/director. Allen's most enduring films have been clever, funny and romantic with a touch of melancholy, and that's definitely the case here. Maybe it's the foreign languages or the gaudy locations, but whatever the case Woody Allen seems to have regained his ability to make exasperating characters come off as alluring, and make an outright fantasy seem achievable. And his efforts here earned him a Golden Globe for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical).

7.8/10

I was expecting much more but it was OK. Woody Allen and Scarlett, great combat. You can watch this movie even for its cast. I didn't like its end, but the whole movie didnt bore me. Scarlett..... pushing beauty's limit.