Volver (2006, Spanish)

My personal dislike of Penelope Cruz may be a peculiar one – I find her public persona dull, and I can’t stand her in any role that requires her to speak English, but I have to admit that in her native language, she is often an amazing actress. I first saw her in Belle epoque (in which she played the youngest and sweetest of four sisters who take turns romancing a deserting soldier), and thought she was extremely good in Todo sobre mi madre and charming in Abre los ojos (and the less said about Abre’s misbegotten remake, Vanilla Sky, the better). Back again with Almodovar in Volver, Cruz is gorgeous – her character, Raimunda, is radiantly trashy – and she carries the movie without a hitch, despite the presence of strong costars Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, and Carmen Maura.

Indeed, there might only be two or three men with any lines at all in Volver – it’s all about the ladies here, the ladies of Raimunda’s family, her Madrid neighborhood, and village home. They comprise a unique and startlingly strong community, and as the plot of Volver meanders along without much of a sense of urgency, the passion of the women onscreen is allowed to come out, full-force. While not as emotionally evocative as Todo sobre mi madre, Volver is charming and generally a delight to watch, and Cruz seems to enjoy every moment of being at the center of the action. All I can do now is hope that Almodovar will keep her out of Hollywood for a little while longer.