Their vacation was promising. But they never knew how far they could get

The movie is lit by the sun of Barcelona and filled with its smells. It is so real you can almost feel it at your fingertips.

Woody Allen, both author and director, introduces us to Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) and invites us to visit the land of passion, walk the streets of love, swim in the sea of dreams, and finally get lost in seduction and pleasure.

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” catches your attention from the very beginning: the conflict is obvious and unfolds right away. Rational, serious and faithful to her fiancé Vicky and romantic, ever-suffering and searching soul Cristina - so different and still best friends. Their ideas and perceptions, of love especially, are so poles apart that Vicky and Cristina are the perfect “opposites attract” couple. The third friend in the movie is Barcelona, which is there to change the girls’ lives.     

The movie starts with Vicky and Cristina roaming around the city, taking pleasures in Gaudi’s works, discovering aspects of Catalan life and enjoying themselves in the company of their hosts – Judy (Patricia Clarkson) and Mark (Kevin Dunn), a not-so-happy middle-aged married couple. Vicky and Cristina are typical tourists until they meet Juan Antonion (Javier Bardem).

Antonio is like a dream: irresistible eyes and a tempting smile, compliments that every girl wants to hear, even his name – Juan Antonio makes you wonder whether he is real. An artist embodying passion and sensuality, Juan Antonio brings the unique Spanish flavor into the game.  And I don’t want to go any further on this subject because it will be praise of the fantastic looks and talent of Javier Bardem rather than a movie review. 

Exactly when you think that three main characters are more than enough for a captivating movie, Woody Allen proves you wrong and introduces Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz), Juan Antonio’s ex-wife. Eccentric and unstable, she brings back insanity from Juan Antonio’s past when she tried to kill him and herself. Maria Elena is the ingredient that makes the movie shine, and Cruz definitely does a great job in accomplishing this task. She is the star: stunning, brilliant and obsessive.

The story seems trivial, but the unexpected plot twists make the movie an unforgettable experience. Sex, love, passion, marriage and relationships re-create the atmosphere of the Catalan summer. The characters are trapped, but they take pleasure in their trap. To get out, they have to answer one simple and yet very complicated question: what is it that they really want? Do they want to answer this question?

 Photo courtesy of www.media.filmschoolrejects.com