First off, anything that stars either Victoria Abril or Penelope Cruz will automatically get my attention, let alone the both of them playing off each other. So this was a natural pick for me, based on that fact. This film is about two angels, one from heaven, and one from Hell, who compete for the soul of Manny, who I will mention below.
Having said that, I was let down by this film. Abril wasn't nearly as good as she is usually, but Cruz is excellent as usual. I have a hard time deciding if either her or Monica Bellucci is the woman I deem the most attractive, in the world. It's close. Unfortunately they are the only characters who are really worth watching in the film. The main male lead, Demián Bichir, is dry as all hell, and clearly is out of his element here in trying to compete with these two mostly wonderful actresses. Gael García Bernal, in what I believe is one of his first roles outside of Mexico, is a little bit too over the top, though it was a treat seeing him and Cruz converse so often.
Story wise the film's kind of all over the place, and doesn't really pick up a clear seam throughout, and then moves rather quickly into an ending that you can't really buy into. And that may be something that could be argued against, because it involves supernatural elements left and right, but the number of twists and turns that happen are too many, and too illogical at points. It's still a fun film, and the cameo role of Javier Bardem (and his mother, Pilar) via photograph was nice, and serves an indication of what a big deal he was (and still is) in Spain. So I mean if you want to see the film just for the chance to see Cruz and Abril in the same film, by all means go for it, it's not a horrible film, just don't expect great things.
Having said that, I was let down by this film. Abril wasn't nearly as good as she is usually, but Cruz is excellent as usual. I have a hard time deciding if either her or Monica Bellucci is the woman I deem the most attractive, in the world. It's close. Unfortunately they are the only characters who are really worth watching in the film. The main male lead, Demián Bichir, is dry as all hell, and clearly is out of his element here in trying to compete with these two mostly wonderful actresses. Gael García Bernal, in what I believe is one of his first roles outside of Mexico, is a little bit too over the top, though it was a treat seeing him and Cruz converse so often.
Story wise the film's kind of all over the place, and doesn't really pick up a clear seam throughout, and then moves rather quickly into an ending that you can't really buy into. And that may be something that could be argued against, because it involves supernatural elements left and right, but the number of twists and turns that happen are too many, and too illogical at points. It's still a fun film, and the cameo role of Javier Bardem (and his mother, Pilar) via photograph was nice, and serves an indication of what a big deal he was (and still is) in Spain. So I mean if you want to see the film just for the chance to see Cruz and Abril in the same film, by all means go for it, it's not a horrible film, just don't expect great things.
