It’s a light, empty, fun movie, worth it if you are looking for mindless summer fun. I also found it hilarious in ways I don’t believe the director planned. I think poor Mr. Allen learned everything he knows about Spain from the foyer of a luxury hotel and the back seat of a taxicab. And what Woody seems to have learned is that Barcelona is a lot like Los Angeles! People own handguns and drive around in massive silver SUVs and live in mansions, with pools, and invite people over to their fabulous modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances. Like, L.A., there are a lot of Spanish speakers around but it’s okay because they all speak English too. God forbid that in Catalunya they should speak, you know, Catalan. So it’s not surprising that when our heroines finally leave Barcelona (mild spoiler alert), they have experienced none of the personal epiphanies that are usually associated with the broadening effects of foreign travel. They never really left home.
Reading and Writing History and Fiction (and sometimes food)
i considered watching this,
but then saw all the sexual entanglements
and opted for brideshead revisited
instead. sexual entanglements in that
film as well, but done more subtly.
i recommend the movie!
I decided I was too loyal to the old BBC Brideshead Revisted to have an open mind about the new movie, but maybe I’ll check it out!