Volver (2007)

pedro

great blu-ray disc, every almodovar movie has always something magical and this one has it too. May 30, 2008

Glad I finally came back to see this...

I finally got around to watching this movie after years of procrastinating and choosing something else on a visit to the rental store or when shuffling through previewed movies somewhere. I read the many reviews and clearly am not a student of the films of Almodóvar, his influences and tendencies, Spanish cinema, or even much of Penélope Cruz. I don't know if that disqualifies me to discuss my thoughts on this movie, but I thought it was good and am glad I picked it up.
The dvd back cover describes the movie as "hilarious" and "comedic" and I am truly clueless as to how anyone could use those adjectives to describe a movie that deals with incest, murder, abuse, and cancer just for openers. Talk about misleading...
Still, I enjoyed the movie and found the mysterious and at times disturbing story to keep my interest. The actors did a wonderful job and I was impressed with Cruz who I'd only seen in the horrid Vanilla Sky and in the disappointing Blow. She has to carry the movie and through the conclusion of the movie when all things are explained, I came to understand her brusque demeanor. Additionally, the scenery between Madrid and La Mancha was picaresque and a nice introduction to a country I have longed to visit.
The extras on my copy had interviews with Cruz, Almodóvar, and Carmen Maura. I noted one reviewer complained about the subtitles being choppy but my copy was smooth and without interruptions.
As with most movie reviews on Amazon, the plot has been explained repeatedly and furthermore there seems no shortage of guys willing to confess their fascination with the female lead. In addition, there is a healthy discussion of the director and his work. Then again, perhaps it is simply a need to vomit up the wealth of knowledge gleaned from a life spent studying movies and trying to out-trivialize one another with their endless fact dropping. I am not sure where some of these reviewers fit.
When I read the kind of reviews here, I wonder if this is a movie meant for pedestrian viewers like me. I wonder that my lack of knowledge regarding Almodóvar et al detract from what I should gain from watching this movie. Yet, I enjoyed it and I don't know why others wouldn't as well even without joining the debate about strong female characters, how Sophia Loren fits into the picture, the director's female role model issues, European movies versus those from the states, gay themes, the back story of La Mancha, or any of the myriad other issues reviewers felt were necessary to point out in their opinions.
I don't know about all of the women issues or the subtleties of the director and frankly don't care. I don't understand why the delineation has to come and be an issue. Who cares that there is only one man in the movie? Honestly, I didn't think to do a head count of gender as I was watching it. Also, there is some opinion that Almodóvar is trying to lump all men into negative categories (unfaithful, sexually depraved, predatory, et al). I didn't make that stretch. The two men who are a part of the plot are representative of the cyclical nature of abuse rather than a broad categorization of all men. I realized at the end that Cruz' ex-boyfriend was evidence of the cycle of abuse that often happens rather than an indictment of all men. There was a brief moment with Cruz and her daughter towards the end that hinted at a final end to this disastrous cycle as it seemed to indicate that the daughter has made peace with what happened to her and the man who did it. I certainly hope so since the members of this fictional family have certainly been through enough drama and tragedy for one life.
Volver is a well made and welcome break from the over abundance of predictable fare and I recommend it to anyone who likes good stories and good acting.
May 18, 2008

Gardel and Lepera live in Almodovar's "Volver"

Carlos Gardel was a very popular tango singer during the late twenties and early thirties in Argentina. Lost to Hispanics due to a tragic airplane accident at Medellin's (Colombia) airport, he became almost inmediately a myth of the Spanish cult of the dead; and is one of his famous songs Volver, turned into "rumba flamenca" and performed by Penelope Cruz in one of the scenes of this sentimental movie, which gives to it the main title.

Full of references to the convention, and with characters taken maybe from reality or maybe from Latin television soap operas,[many references to TV programs are present and even a recreation of a popular and actual one in Spain] Volver is an ironic, humorous, and typical Almodovar's farce whose roots may go backwards to very old techniques of Spanish culture. April 11, 2008

Volver

Me being a latino i was in the mode for a spanish movie so when i picked up volver it blew me out of the water. the story is great and the actors are superb. nothing is overdone or for that matter underdone. i really enjoyed and would recommend this for anyone no matter ethnicity April 8, 2008

Great film...great performance.

Oustanding performance by Penelope Cruz. I especially enjoyed the scene with her singing. The story is both horrific and terrific at the same time. Even though there is tragedy the way the women are supportive of each other is admirable. Women need to be more like this in the real world. March 26, 2008

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