The parallels between character and name are haunting. One could easily pick one of many tangents and enjoy a sumptuous banquet. I am yet to sleep on it and nourish the full aftertaste. The depth placed into Magdalena is astounding, and mostly understated. She can, to borrow cliche, represent all women or no woman. Broken Embraces can only be described as the work of an incredibly empathetic man.
The other major theme is the aim of the writer/director in film. The suggestion is an excuse to ogle/be in the company of stunning women . A reason to appreciate beauty for it's own sake. I would happily leap forward to nod in immediate agreement. Perhaps the one criticism here is that the delectable Penelope Cruz is not granted greater voyeur time.
In addition, a purely selfish desire to tell a story/occupy another's mind. To be the loud one. The brash one. To fake a setting for one's pleasure and then to feast upon it.. Almodovar makes a very strong case that the masking of this indulgence is far worse than it's exuberant over-display. He takes the example to the extreme and succeeds in spades.
At 128 minutes, Broken Embraces (Los Abrazos Rotos) is not for the finnicky. As a film-maker's tribute to film & women - it is slow. With plenty of changes in time, spanning 14 years. For me, these were greatly appreciated indulgences. I was most certainly not wanting the film to end. An intoxicating journey into the absolute basics of cinema. Themes that are essential to all productions. Demonstrated herein as a peerless guide-book.
'It is necessary to finish the film, if only blindly' Pedro Almodovar
'Possibly the advent of the washing machine has been as instrumental in closing these (Magdalene) laundries as have changing attitudes' Finnegan
Margaret & David's review
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Lead actor: Penelope Cruz
Cast: Lluís Homar, Blanca Portillo, José Luis Gómez, Rubén Ochandiano, Tamar Nova, Angela Molina
Producer: Esther García
Screenplay: Pedro Almodóvar
Music: Alberto Iglesias
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