Volver (Almodovar) [DVD]

I believe this is the third time that Penelope Cruz has worked with Pedro Almodovar and whilst she may have given some terrible performances in English (and been eclipsed for a while by the media nightmare that is a relationship with the other Cruise) she proves herself to be a quite exceptional actress in Volver.

Meaning 'The Return' Volver begins in the village of Alcanfor de las Infantas; a superstitious place, where it is said that the East Wind drives many inhabitants insane. Raimunda (Cruz), her daughter and her sister Soledad have come to visit the grave of their mother who was killed in a fire with her husband. Whilst there they visit their aunt Paula who, a little senile and through milk-bottle glasses, tells them that their mother is alive and living with her. Back home in Madrid, Raimunda comes home from work one day to find her daughter looking disturbed. She has stabbed the man she thought to be her father after he drunkenly tried to rape her. Whilst she deals with this Raimunda is called by her sister to be told their aunt has died. It is when returning from the funeral on her own that Soledad hears the voice of her mother calling her from the boot of the car.

The performances are all exceptional (the six actresses shared the Best Actress award at Cannes in 2006) but Cruz really shines in her role. When her drunken husband masturbates beside her in bed, after she has shrugged off his advances, we see her look of surprise, disgust and sadness as a tear wells in her eye. Later in the film she sings the song Volver to a restaurant filled by a film crew wrap party and whilst she may only be lip syncing her performance had me doubting.

Almodovar has said that the film 'is precisely about death...More than about death itself, the screenplay talks about the rich culture that surrounds death in the region of La Mancha, where I was born. It is about the way (not tragic at all) in which various female characters, of different generations, deal with this culture.' I guess that just about covers it.

This was the first Pedro Almodavar film we'd seen and had only seen Penelope Cruz once before in the undemanding role she had in Captain Corelli's Mandolin. For the first fifteen minutes or so we thought it be the equivalent of a novel in the 'magic realism' mode or somesuch and my heart sank. But no, it took off and really gripped us. Cruz was great in her role which let her take all 'certain' events that befell her family in her stride with pragmatism and even humour. Excellent movie.

"Volver" is a beautiful film. Unique in its construction and emotionally riveting in its delivery. From the very first frame it is abundantly clear that a master director with a peerless cast is at work.

All the performances are excellent and very naturalistic. Naturalistic for Southern Spain that is and Penélope Cruz is simply incredible. I had never really rated her as a great dramatic actress. The only other time she had impressed me was in a small part as a Mother giving birth on a bus in another Almodóvar Film. She proved to me she could be extraordinary. So I am left with the question why she never received the award for best actress at the Oscars. It only goes to show what a travesty that Award has become.

Pedro Almodóvar is one of the best Directors alive today and that list includes only three names. The other two are Yimou Zhang and Takashi Miike. These three Directors are international. Cutting edge! They are not trapped by their Nationality or by the Hollywood system. They make intelligent films for intelligent people unlike what Hollywood is constantly spewing out into those charmless multiplex factories.

"Volver" should have won the best picture award at the Oscars. Not best foreign film but Best Picture because, to put it simply, it is perfect. The Score, the acting, direction, production design, sound design, the opening credits, the final credits and most importantly the script. They are all perfect.

There is in Southern Spain an extraordinary wealth of Spanish "palabrotas" (swear words and rude phrases) and to really enjoy them a street knowledge of Spanish is recomended.
A Spanish Dictionary is of no use.

I feel Almodóvar has with Penélope Cruz given us one of the greatest female performances ever put to screen. What they have achieved is magical.

The actor that won the best actress award at the Oscars in 2006 and the film in which she appeared, will they be remembered?

"Volver" is already deep in the hearts of Cinema lovers and it is going to stay there.

Special features include a Commentary track with a talkative Pedro Almodóvar and reticent Penélope Cruz. Also included are interviews and Cannes footage.