On Saturday night we went to see Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film, Volver. I love Spanish films but somehow, I have always been a bit skeptical about him – until yesterday. Some of that maybe because I love the main actress, Penelope Cruz, but not all. The story, set in the area where he was brought up, Castilla la Mancha, is the story of three generations of women (remember Pedro Almódovar’s films nearly always have women as their main characters). It is a mixture of comedy and drama – amazing drama, including incest and murder and you never quite know whether to laugh or to cry. Penelope as Raimunda is the essence of joy but always on the point of tears. Such a strong and beautiful character. Also Carmen Maura who lets herself be portrayed as she really is, mid sixties, no makeup and looking old and unattractive. Quite different from the screen Carmen Maura we thought we knew.
This is an essentially Spanish film which hovers from the traditional Spanish villages of Almodóvar’s Castilla la Mancha, to the poorer outskirts of Madrid today and will not leave anyone untouched by its magic.
I am now going to add this to my list of favourite films ever.
Cheers/Masha
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