The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : All the ingredients of great cinema

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Monday, Oct 12, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

All the ingredients of great cinema

Sun and sea: A still from the film ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’.

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem, Chris Messina, Patricia Clarkson

Director: Woody Allen

Cinema buffs have a lot to cheer about. Last week saw the welcome return of Quentin Tarantino to the big screen with ‘Inglourious Basterds’ and now we have a Woody Allen film in the theatres after a grief and then some more.

Summer holiday

Apparently tiring of shooting in his beloved New York, Allen has since ‘Matchpoint’ (2005) chosen to shoot outside the U.S. ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ is set in bewitching Barcelona and tells the story of two young Americans who spend a summer in the Spanish city.

The girls, Vicky and Cristina, are best friends who only differ on the subject of love. Vicky believes in commitment and is engaged to be married to Doug who understands the “beauty of commitment.”

Deeply passionate Cristina, on the hand, is resigned to putting her emotions at risk.

When the two meet the bohemian artist Juan Antonio, who is just recovering from a stormy break up with his brilliantly talented and violently eccentric wife Maria Elena, the results are predictably stormy.

While the film abounds in clichés – from exotic locations, American tourists, tempestuous artistic couple and the strait-laced fiancé to the two girls contrasting natures – the writing ensures the characters are fascinatingly quirky.

Like all Woody Allen movies, “Vicky…” is character and dialogue driven. Clichés are turned on their head with the raven haired Vicky being conventional while the blonde, Cristina, is all hot-blooded passion.

Picturesque locales

The dialogue is razor sharp and delightfully subversive. Maria Elena caustically commenting on the predictability of Juan’s dalliance with two Americans is a case in point.

The film is delightful on the eye. Spain looks picture postcard pretty and the cast is gloriously golden.

While Rebecca Hall is delightful as Vicky, Scarlett Johansson makes for an Amazonian Cristina.

Javier Bardem is hot as the artistically crumpled Juan Antonio while Penelope Cruz, who won an Oscar for best supporting actress, sizzles as the volatile Maria Elena.

‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ is a perfect movie with all the ingredients of great cinema lovingly stirred together by a master filmmaker.

P.S. Johansson and Cruz do lock lips.

MINI ANTHIKAD-CHHIBBER

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