Volver
marks the fourth master work by a Spanish film maker in 2006 (the other three
being Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men, Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth,
and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel), and while Pedro Almodovar's latest is
smaller in scale (when stacked up against his colleagues' recent efforts), it's
every bit as grand in terms of heart and soul.
I'm
not going to spend a lot of time going into a detailed rundown of the plot, as
this is a character driven piece. I will say that Volver is a drama, a comedy,
a mystery, and a ghost story of sorts. It's also a beautiful look at a culture
that Almodovar holds dear to his heart.
Penelope
Cruz is outstanding as the luminous Rainmunda, a bright, cheery woman with a big
skeleton in her closet. Lola Duenas is Sole, Rainmunda's shy and slightly withdrawn
sister. Carmen Maura is Irene, a mysterious woman from Rainmunda and Sole's past.
Together and apart, these three vastly different women affect each other's lives.
Pedro
Almodovar often injects touchy subject matter into his films (see Talk To Her,
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, etc.), but he does so in a tasteful, elegant manner.
Volver has it's share of taboo situations, and once again, they're handled with
the utmost respect. What's more, Almodovar is clearly in love with the women in
his work. When I say in love, I don't necessarily mean in a romantic sense. What
I mean to say is he loves their beauty, their soul, and their essence.
Almodovar
is also a master at fusing various styles into one seamless piece of art. On several
occasions, I thought I had Volver pegged. Early on in the film, I figured this
was his attempt at Hitchcock. There's a knife, an awful confrontation, a death,
and a potential cover up all set to a score that would make Bernard Hermann proud,
but in the end, this isn't at all what the film is about. Volver is really a movie
about dark secrets, forgiveness, and the power of family.
I
really adore this movie. It isn't the type of film that grabs hold of you from
the get go. No, this is the kind of movie that lingers with you after you've left
the theater. It's haunting, poetic and absolutely gorgeous in it's execution.
I should have expected no less from a wonderful talent like Pedro Almodovar.
Who's
In It: 
