Volver (2006)
Volver (2006) 8/10
The way i see it, this year’s Best Actress Oscar is essentially a two horse race between Helen Mirren (The Queen) and Penelope Cruz (Volver) for best actress. The rest of the people are just there to make up the numbers. And as much as i think Mirren was fantastic, i must say that after watching Volver, i think that Cruz deserves to win.
Pedro Almodovar isn’t one of my favourite directors. I never did particularly like his previous films like Bad Education or Talk To Her. In a sense, i never quite ‘got’ Almodovar’s films. But Volver see Almodovar in his element and he weaves a compelling and brilliant drama whilst bringing out top notch performances from the entire cast. Virtually every single member of the cast, gives a stirring performance, and its easy to see why the entire female ensemble cast got the Best Actress Award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
Since i just riffed Curse of the Golden Flower for terrible color scheme, Volver provides the perfect counterexample of how to use colors right, and the visual aesthetics of this film is top notch.
A smart, witty script with unexpected turns and brilliant dialogue, Volver may well be melodrama, but its Oscar calibre melodrama. It works simply because it has well defined characters played by good actresses in an engaging script. The film simply works. It is one of the best films of the year, with both Almodovar and Cruz at the top of their game.
‘ “Volver,” full of surprises and reversals, unfolds with breathtaking ease and self-confidence.’ - NY Times
“Almodóvar is still one of the few directors worth watching just for how he uses color on the screen. But the pleasures have always run much deeper, and now they run deeper still.”- Onion
‘The Cannes Film Festival recognized the group effort by awarding the ensemble the Best Actress Award, and that was an inspired decision. Individually, they are excellent. Collectively, they are transcendent.’- Reel.com
