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Volver

As any follower of contemporary pop culture could tell you beauty doesn’t always have a whole lot to do with acting ability, and after a while, serious actresses need to display at least some shred of talent in order to stick around in the limelight. Before her Oscar-winning turn in “Monster” Charlize Theron was one such actress, dangerously close to fading away thanks to a bevy of glamorous but forgettable parts that failed to distinguish her as more than another pleasant flavor of the month. The Academy tends to reward gorgeous celebrities that glam themselves down for edgy roles-–fake noses, brave weight acquisitions, humbling makeup, you name it-–and Theron’s de-beautified performance appropriately copped her Best Actress and catapulted her back into the public consciousness.

Until “Volver,” Pedro Almodovar’s sublimely original new dramedy, Penelope Cruz was in a similar predicament. However Cruz took the road less traveled by and dolled herself up for the role of Raimunda, a plucky young mother striving to make ends meet in Madrid. Raimunda is just one of Almodovar’s superb ensemble of women, which also includes her lonely hairdresser sister Sole (Lola Duenas) and eccentric family friend Agustina (Blanca Portilla). Their hectic lives grow evermore complicated when the ghost of the sisters’ mother, Irene (Carmen Maura), returns to heal the rift between her and Raimunda.

Almodovar tells his story with graceful wit, carefully juggling tones and themes throughout, and always maintains a relaxed pace. After the male-centered, seamy dynamic of “Talk to Her” and “Bad Education,” “Volver” seems like a charming respite for the increasingly disciplined Spanish director. That isn’t to say it’s without some dark overtones-–specters, murder, and rape factor into the proceedings in ways both expected and unexpected-–but on the whole, this is a compassionate, amiable film. The focus here is on celebrating the endurance and kinship of women, a familiar motif that has always manifested itself in much of Almodovar’s previous work. It has never registered as strongly as it does in “Volver,” which gradually reveals itself to be an insightful commentary on life, love, and community, specifically in regard to the myriad contributions of women. Even the furtive disposal of her husband’s body is, at the end of the day, just another chore for Raimunda to tackle before the next day arrives to pose new challenges.

That’s just like Almodovar, to perpetually subvert our expectations; one minute we think he’s giving us something akin to a lighter, sexier “Blood Simple,” then it becomes a whimsical homage to “Mildred Pierce” with a mysterious subtext right out of “Chinatown.” Only a truly gifted director could provide such an eclectic mixture of tonal elements, and Almodovar deftly uses them to enrich an already captivating, moving family portrait. Although the movie drags in some key spots and takes a bit longer to get going than it should, it effortlessly draws you in and, by the end, elegantly connects all the narrative dots. Before the credits come up, in Almodovar’s typically florid style, old wounds reopen and subsequently heal, the hustle and bustle of daily life goes on, and Cruz gets the opportunity to frequently show off her remarkable cleavage.

But even if we all knew Cruz was a strikingly attractive woman, she’s rarely come across as a formidable screen presence; even in Alejandro Amenabar’s riveting “Abre Los Ojos” (remade with little success into Cameron Crowe’s “Vanilla Sky”), she’s little more than an especially pretty face. In most of her American films, she’s either too subdued (“All the Pretty Horses”) or too screechy (“Blow”) to make much of an impression, and she has never given a fully convincing English-speaking performance. But in “Volver,” freed from the translational constraints that have hindered her career thus far, Cruz is an absolute revelation. She is delightful and charming in equal measure, imbuing Raimunda with a depth and clarity she has never come close to reaching before; it’s nothing less than the role of her career, and she delivers flawlessly. Her Oscar nomination this year was entirely warranted, and even though she stood no chance against Helen Mirren, this year’s sure-fire juggernaut, hopefully the Academy’s nod will propel her into more complex parts. The rest of the performances are nearly as nuanced as hers, particularly Maura’s skillful interpretation of a difficult character. >
“Volver” is a surprising, enthralling genre concoction exploring the past’s irrevocable impact on the present (the title translates to “to return,” or “returning”). Cruz has never looked or acted better, and she proves that an actress can redefine herself by playing a normal, full-bodied woman that doesn’t kill people and/or turn tricks on the overpass. This may not be Almodovar’s best film, but it’s easily his warmest and most enchanting. Come for Cruz, but stay for everything else.

Written by: Joe Pudas

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