I managed to get tickets to the final screening at Espoo Cine film festival and was expecting a lot from this new Woody Allen film. It had all the aspects of being a masterpiece: Woody Allen's witty writing and directing skills, brilliant cast, interesting storyline and beautiful sceneries of Spain.The story evolves around two art-loving American women (Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson) who travel to Spain for a month. Hall's character Vicky is engaged, about to get married, very down to earth person, and her opposite, Johansson's Cristina is single and adventurous, and does not really know yet what to do with her life. They bump into a sexy Spanish artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who asks the girls to come with him, enjoy some good food, drinks - and sex.
This leads the girls to an adventure which involves among others the mentally unstable ex-wife (Penelope Cruz) and flips both worlds upside down. In the end they are forced to search their own feelings thoroughly.
Although I liked the overall story and the characters were fresh and real and the acting was good, in the end something was missing. With seeing the complexity of human relationships during the film, I was a bit let down with the anti-climax of the story in the end. But it is always wonderful to watch beautiful, talented people together - Penelope Cruz is always so charming, Scarlett Johansson knows how to be sexy and cute and it was fun to see Javier Bardem in a "normal" role after seeing him as a cold-blooded killer in No country for old men.
Director: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Cast: Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Hall
Official site: http://vickycristina-movie.com/
Imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497465/
