Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar has always had an affinity with women in his movies. They are often portrayed as iron-willed and given leading roles. Men always seem weak and enslaved by their weaknesses, usually towards women.
Almodóvar tends to stick with his favoured leading ladies, and in his new film, Broken Embraces, we are fortunate he continues to rely on Penélope Cruz.
In pictures: Penélope Cruz
Broken Embraces is the story of a writer who calls himself Harry Caine (Lluìs Homar), after previously being known as Mateo Blanco. He is a charming man, and in the opening scene seduces a beautiful young lady — all the more remarkable considering he is blind. His agent, Judit, reluctantly cleans up the aftermath and her son Diego (Tamar Novas) helps Harry by writing his scripts. There is a strong bond and unspoken history between the three, and how it is played out is subtle and confronting.
Documentary filmmaker Ray X (Rubén Ochandiano) visits Harry, wanting to make a film about a rich man and his gay son, and bringing echoes of their past. He is summarily dismissed but Harry and Judit are rattled. While Judit is away scouting for locations for a film, Diego falls ill and Harry looks after him.
It is while he is recovering that Harry starts to recount their past and how he lost his sight. Through flashbacks we hear his confessional about Harry’s alter ego Mateo Blanco, the brash filmmaker, aspiring actress Magdalena (Cruz) and Ernesto Martel (José Luis Gómez), the rich businessman who cannot bear to lose her — and another trio of entanglement unfolds.
Almodóvar has an uncanny knack of taking dark tales and dressing them in bright colours. Some of the sets in this film are artistic blends of bright pastels, and there is a strong element of red in almost every shot. There is passion everywhere and Almodóvar wants us to feel it simmering in every character’s actions. And no matter how bleak the tale, there is always humour to break the flow.
The acting is of the highest order, and Cruz has not lost any of her talent after her US success and dalliance with that Scientologist. Homar is charming as Harry Caine/Mateo and there is more than a hint of Amlodóvar in his character. Blanca Portillo plays her complex role as Judit very nicely and Tomar Novas as her son is engaging rather than annoying.
The ending is a little confusing and there is still a hint of ambiguity, but this isn’t Hollywood. This is a film about the destructiveness of jealousy and ego over beauty, while taking pot shots at the industry, and some self-depreciating chuckles.
While not being one of Almodóvar’s best movies, it is still an enjoyable film which will delight his fans and charm some new ones. His ability to paint each scene from a bright palette and bring out the humour during this dark tale will impress and entertain rather than dazzle with its brilliance.
At two hours the movie is a little long and indulgent, but many of these shots are dedicated to Penélope displaying her rich character. And it’s a visual embrace many of us do not wish to break.
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