Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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66 of 77 people found the following review helpful:
A World Without Men, November 5, 2006
There is a great scene in Pedro Almodovar's latest, "Volver" that encapsulates all that this wonderful, resonant movie is about: Raimunda (a sexy, earthy Penelope Cruz who has never been better on screen) sings a gypsy/flamenco style song, having not sang in public for many years but in possession of a gorgeous singing voice, while her mother Irene (the legendary Carmen Maura), thought to be dead , discretely listens from afar. Almodovar's camera cuts between mother and daughter, both totally committed emotionally to the scene, both recalling their former lives together, estranged for years but still possessing that particular brand of love that exists only between a Mother and her daughter, both longing for lives without trials and tribulations and fear, lives without problems, without cares. "Volver" (which means to return, to come back) is nothing if not about returning to the innocence of youth: to a time when Love abounded and came without a price and without consequences. But "Volver" is also about second chances, re-tooling you life albeit, Almodovar-style which always involves some manner of the strange, the violent sometimes and the weird. This line towards re-tooling/re-imagining your life is not a straight one by any means but a zigzagged one going from "a" to "g" more often than from "a" to "b."
In "Volver" we have the extraordinary character of Raimunda played to the hilt by Penelope Cruz who has always been better in her native Spanish than she's ever been in her English films. Raimunda is strong, decisive, hard-working, married to a lout, a devoted mother and sister of Soledad (Lola Duenas) with whom she shares a strong bond now that their parents are dead.
"Volver" is a film almost totally without men except Paco, Raimunda's husband and Paula's (Raimunda's daughter)father who leaves the film early on and as such it reminds me of the Neo-Realist film classics of the WW2 era, "Open City" and the Sophia Loren starring "Two Women." But in this world without men that is "Volver" nothing seems amiss because the world that Almodovar has created is rich with well defined woman's roles: compassionately written and more importantly profoundly and deeply executed by the ensemble of actors that Almodovar has assembled: Cruz, Maura, Duenas and Blanca Portillo as Angelina.
Once again with "Volver," Almodovar has returned to the world of women alone and it is a film primarily about but definitely not only for women: their power over us, their weaknesses, their hopes, their desires. But "Volver" also shows us that mysterious inner core that all women possess which gives them an edge, a wisdom that men don't have. Call it maturity, call it a security, call it a special strength. You can even call it "feminine intuition." But, call it what you like, it's there, only women have it and lucky man, Pedro Almodovar is on a first name basis with it.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Volver, July 30, 2007
Part murder mystery, part ghost story, and 100 percent witty, estrogen-fueled fantasy, Almodovar's story of three generations of women is one of the Spanish director's most exuberant films. Enamored of outcasts and oddballs, Almodovar here introduces an element of the supernatural to make an already compelling story of sex, lies, and secrecy even more intriguing. Channeling her inner Anna Magnani, Cruz is a force of nature bursting with brassy verve and self-confidence, especially during her heart-melting solo rendition of the flamenco song "Volver." Co-stars Dueñas, Maura, and Blanca Portillo, playing a cancer-ridden friend of the family, make this moving, enchanting drama an irresistible ensemble film.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
Nothing is laid to rest so easily, March 3, 2007
Penelope Cruz gives a standout performance as Raimunda in this strange tale of a village where most of the men are lovingly tended to in cemetery plots. The story takes many twists and turns, but principally this is a tale about Raimunda's indefatigable spirit and protection of her daughter. Almodovar captures the rhythm and feeling of small town life in Spain as Raimunda enlists the services of her neighbors to revive a restaurant, which becomes the hub of activities while the owner is away. In so doing, Raimunda hopes to disguise the sinister events that have taken place. Raimunda's sister, Sole, harbors a blithe spirit of sorts, whose return provides the premise for the movie and eventually answers many questions that are put forward. Augustina completes this provincial triptych as a hippie of sorts, who is forced to come to terms with her life when she finds out she has cancer. The characters feed off each other in typical Almodovarian fashion, but it is a conventional movie by his quixotic standards, and one of his most satisfying efforts, as it is sure to appeal across a broad spectrum of viewers, especially given Penelope Cruz' excellent performance.
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