Much like say, Werner Herzog’s “Bad Lieutenant,” Pedro Almodovar’s “Broken Embraces,” is not his best work and uneven, but it is sort of a distillation of all his past films including sexy, stylish elements of intrigue, drama, camp and mystery.
We saw it at Cannes and were mildly disappointed, if only because Almodovar is one of the world’s greatest directors. While it becomes somewhat convoluted, it’s ambitious, rich and circuitous, and in retrospect (and with months to digest and look back), it is a memorable, resonating film with passion, humor and real emotional weight.
It’s certainly Hitchockian, visually striking, sports luscious aesthetics overall (amazing cinematography and Alberto Iglesias’ score is lovely once more) and if disappointing, only because his standards are so usually high. The actors, Penelope Cruz, Ruben Ochandiano are strong, but it’s Jose Luis Gomez and Blanca Portill who truly stand-out and shine. The real problem is that “Broken Embraces” never really clicks into a smooth rhythm overall — the mechanics of the editing, pace and narrative feel slightly off — but it is still a worthwhile picture worth seeing. Read our full review from Cannes. It opens in limited release this weekend.