Film Review: Broken Embraces (Pedro Almodovar plus Penelope Cruz)

Despite the forgettable title – “Broken Embraces” – Pedro Almodovar’s latest film is anything but forgettable, and not only because of the intimate shots of Penelope Cruz in a passionate clutch. Take a dollop of romance, a forkful of abuse, some noir thriller, magnificent acting by all the principals and add Almodovar. Then give him a theme that examines film-making, sight, controlling the images and telling the visual truth – and you have a potent project.

As is only right and proper for a thriller, nothing is quite as it seems. The troubled leading man (played by Lluís Homar), a filmmaker, has two names: Mateo Blanco and Harry Caine. The evil dickhead is strangely merged with his geeky voyeuristic son. All of them want a piece of Lena (played by Penelope Cruz) and never has Cruz been more ardent. Almodovar pays homage to her beauty by dressing her up during her screen test for the movie-within-this-movie as past beauties – from Audrey Hepburn to Marilyn Monroe (as you can see in the trailer below). The long-suffering production manager Judit García (played expressively by Blanca Portillo) and her charming son Diego (Tomar Novas) themselves are embroiled in secrets and deceptions.

If you love Almodovar, as I do unashamedly, then you will be captivated by this film.

Comments

[healthy kitchen]

When this film will release? I love Penelope..

[Sue Katz]

I saw it in LA where you can see anything and everything, but it has now also opened in Boston. I guess it depends where you are. Good luck.