Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald

What an extraordinary film this is. Visually it’s a feast; colors and clever framing delight the eye. The plot twists and turns. Penélope Cruz positively glows in scene after scene.

The story is pure melodrama: blinded movie director, now a screenwriter, is visited by a mysterious character. This awakens memories of a passionate love affair from his past. The movie jumps back and forth between current day and past events. Drama and tragedy unfold. Everything comes together at the end.

In the meantime there is humor, sadness, tension, sex, intrigue, shocking events, passion, cruelty — and gorgeous gorgeous film making in and around Madrid. 

Penélope Cruz segues from tragedy to comedy as deftly as any screen performer I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t hurt that she is positively gorgeous.

My only quibble: it’s like a beautiful soap bubble. Beautiful to watch while it’s here, but once it pops it’s gone.

Review copyright (c) 2011 by Dennis D. McDonald