Film: Volver
Plot
In his newest film, Pedro Almodóvar mixes real life with an intriguing snatch of surrealism. Even though this was the first film I ever saw of him, I could easily recognize his features: Spain, family life, strong women and a miniscule role for the male part of our species. Some of my companions found he pronounced the hatred of the female characters against their partners too easily. I, on the other hand, found he was far more interested in the ways female relatives behave towards one another while sharing a difficult past.
Almodóvar tells the story of beautiful Raimunda (an exquisite role of Penélope Cruz), her sister Sole (which stands short for Soledad, or loneliness; performed by Lola Dueñas) and her daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo) who’ll have to cope with their (grand-)mother’s ghost appearing all the time, while she’s supposed to have died in a fire some years ago. Apart from that, Raimunda has to get rid of her husband and at the same time earn a living for her and her daughter. A restaurant nearby proves to be a welcome solution for her situation, but not everybody’s happy with her behaviour. The real star of the movie is of course Penélope Cruz. I used to prefer Salma Hayek, but now I think otherwise. Cruz blasted me away with her powerful performance. Lola Dueñas as her much shier sister is a nice sidekick. The elder females, mother, aunt and grandmother, play their role remarkably convinced. The only minor actor I saw was, of course, a young man who flirts a bit with Raimunda whilst eating in ‘her’ restaurant. But it’s not entirely his own fault; his character just doesn’t evolve that much. Both camerawork and setting were stunning. The physical village as well as the more social surroundings are very Spanish, which ads to the credibility of the movie. Most funny part is Augustina, the mother, still a ghost, whispering to Sole from the trunk of her car. It’s the moment real life and fantasy blur into some kind of weird moment, which is incredibly done. Verdict: Beautiful.
Acting