Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona surprises

By Roger Moore | Orlando Sentinel

August 15, 2008

Vicky Cristina Barcelona continues Woody Allen's recent cinematic tour of Europe with another morality play. Barcelona is likable, beautifully acted, scenic and sexy, ingredients that have been missing from his films since, oh, Everyone Says I Love You (1996).

Allen uses one of Europe's most passionate cities as his crucible for a chatty essay on passion and love and the difference between them. Yeah, he's been there before — the subject, not the city. But at least the novel setting allows him to do what he's done before in novel ways.

Vicky (Rebecca Hall), a sensible American engaged to be married, is pals with Cristina ( Scarlett Johansson), an impulsive sensualist. They spend a summer in Spain, where Vicky will finish up graduate work in Catalan art and culture, and on architect Antoni Gaudí. Cristina, a failed filmmaker, is just there for the experience and maybe a little romantic and artistic self-discovery.

They meet a too-sexy artist, Juan ( Javier Bardem), whose approach to them says "player," but whose candor defuses that. He wants them to come with him to Oviedo, spend a weekend, see the sights and sleep with him.

Vicky is outraged. Cristina is intrigued. They make the trip, though not under Juan's conditions. And they become caught up in the passion and drama of his love life, which involves his divorce from a passionate woman ( Penelope Cruz).

Separately, in quite roundabout ways, the women become members of love triangles involving Juan. Cruz and the Oscar-winning Bardem set off the sort of sparks you'd expect from Spain's greatest screen couple.

Allen's message is about following your passions, acting on impulse, or accepting that you shouldn't. The movie is filled with Allen-isms, the way so many of his actors start to sound and act like him when performing his lines, the highbrow poseur's name-dropping (Scriabin, Miro).

One very annoying thing about this movie is that much of the information — back story, advances in the plot — is conveyed by a never-seen narrator. Writerly, yes. But boring. Even a film as frankly sexual as this one can seem a little fusty and verbose in Allen's hands.

At this stage, nobody goes to Woody Allen movies to be surprised. But every now and then he manages one. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a movie from a director that is simply an old man's mulling over love and passion and whether he or his characters made the right choice.

The Orlando Sentinel is a Tribune Co. newspaper.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona ■■■½

A charismatic artist romances three women during a summer in Spain.

With Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Penelope Cruz, above. Directed by Woody Allen.

Running time: 97 minutes

Rated PG-13: Mature themes, sexuality