“If you don’t start undressing me soon this is going to turn into a panel discussion.”
What’s it all about? “Vicky [Rebecca Hall] and Cristina [Scarlett Johansson] 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.” — Narrator
Let’s see. What has Woody Allen made in recent years that I’ve watched? “Match Point”, “Scoop” and “Whatever Works”. Yeah, these films aren’t the cream-of-the-crop of the Woody Allen filmography. Yet “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” was made in the middle of this creative lull (his British-period, if you will) and managed to be a gem of a picture.
It’s a charming story of the requited and unrequited connections — none compatible — between three women (Penélope Cruz, Johansson, Hall) and the man whom they all love (Javier Bardem). To be completely honest, it was a little difficult watching this film so closely after “No Country For Old Men“. There are so many new layers of creepy when you project Bardem’s ruthless murderer of “No Country” onto this film’s romantic centre. But once I got passed that, the film was purely entertaining, especially Ms. Cruz’s performance. To be short: this is easily Woody Allen’s best film in recent years; just don’t go expecting “Annie Hall” or “Manhattan”.
Favourite Scene: Watch Cruz’s face in the final scene between her, Johansson and Bardem — right before anyone speaks. She knows what’s coming, and it’s heartbreaking to witness that much emotional vulnerability.
Notes: Directed by Woody Allen; Produced by Letty Aronson, Jaume Roures, Stephen Tenenbaum, Gareth Wiley; Written by Woody Allen; Narrated by Christopher Evan Welch; Starring Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson; Cinematography by Javier Aguirresarobe; Editing by Alisa Lepselter.
Sasha James, otherwise known as The Final Girl Project, is a twenty-something Torontonian with an unhealthy amount of her week reserved for film and television. She also moonlights as The Doctor's companion on Saturdays. 
I remember the beginning put me on edge when lines like “Let’s not have another turgid discussion about categorical imperatives” (What. in. the. Jesus.) made me want to just stop watching all Woody Allen films forever, only for it to morph into his most affecting and genuine film since Husbands and Wives. I’d almost forgotten just how completely Allen could destroy you and earn the moment with his anti-rom-coms until this.
@Jake Yeah, when Allen tries to be blatantly academic/holier-than-thou, I want to cringe. Things like that line fall through the cracks when you don’t have an editor. (I’m sure as hell nobody goes through a Woody Allen script with a fine-toothed comb.)
I really dig this movie. For me, it has a lot of ingredients that make up an overall enjoyable experience – the actors (especially Hall), the Barcelona settings, the little messages about art and life, etc. I even got used to the narrator after a little while.
@Marc I’m very excited to see Hall in more and more movies. I loved her in The Prestige. She was heartbreaking.