Pedro Almodovar has a knack for creating visceral films all the more powerful for appealing to the viewer's simpler capabilities. Talk to Her offered a story about the incredible power of speech and how it can connect people while driving others apart. In a similar method, Broken Embraces defines a man by his sight, taking note of the dichotomy between who he was and who he became before and after he lost the ability to see. Told in a mixture of past and present timelines, former filmmaker Mateo recounts the once-in-a-lifetime affair that ended his career as a legendary director, wherein he adopted the name Harry Caine. It's a twisted love story told through stunning cinematography and excellent performances by an incredible cast; about what you'd expect from an Almodovar film.
Lena (Penelope Cruz) is in love with her director Mateo (Lluis Homar), married to its producer Ernesto Martel (Jose Luis Gomez), and creeped out by the would-be cinematographer son-in-law Ray X (Ruben Ochandiano) who seeks to film every step of the film's production. The story of jealousy, deceit, and heartbreak that follows doesn't come to light easily though; only after Mateo's enthusiastic assistant goes into a drug-induced, albeit short coma. Finally, the ex-director lets loose with the tale that reveals the cause of his blindness and the forlorn look that replaced his sense of sight.
Few films are so revealing of their director's love of cinema. The rare exceptions, like Broken Embraces, Cinema Paradiso, or even Quentin Tarantino's recent Inglourious Basterds, showcase the medium as a character unto itself, often as a catalyst that drives events that may otherwise never have occurred. Whether it's a forbidden romance, a passion for the arts, or the death of the Nazi party, the director's passion shines through. Broken Embraces tells of Almodovar's love of both the art and the people who make it possible. He not only does it visually, but with his actors, the performances from whom make Broken Embraces one of his best.
Particularly worthy of recognition is Penelope Cruz, and once you make your way through the extra feature highlighting how Pedro coaxed her performance, you'll understand exactly why. Cruz has delivered above par bouts in the past, but rarely has a film of hers relied so heavily on a nuanced delivery like this. A large contributor to her success here is not having to wrestle with the English language. Broken Embraces sees Cruz give one of her best shows ever, while still letting her be a sultry sexpot. She's battered and bruised one second, while utterly disdainful and smoldering the next. Horror films use a similar method to sublimated violence and sexuality, but here the equation is anything but shameful. The transition from injury to seduction comes brilliantly, and Cruz is a goddess careening from good fortune to bad. She makes this film.
However, Lluis Homar's turn as Mateo/Harry Caine carries equal import. Playing a blind character requires a lot of mental training from actors, they have to learn to not move in ways typical of people with sight. It's a hard feat and few actors ever pull it off well. What we get from Homar is nothing short of superb. Relating his story of lost love makes the story of Broken Embraces wrenching and compelling. The pace is slow and even, but it never drags once – thanks not only to Pedro's direction, but the performances of Cruz and Homar.
Almodovar's eye for the aesthetic results in interestingly composed frames and a colorful palette. Some shots seem to defy what you'd expect from a given scene, but Almodovar creates a combination that forms not just a watchable film, but one that begs to be watched. The images jump off the screen, aided in large part by the high-definition of Blu-ray. It's not common that a drama deserves the Blu-ray treatment, but this one warrants it.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
Pedro Almodovar's “Cannibalistic Councillor”, a natural extension of a scene from the film-within-a-film of Broken Embraces, and a Q&A session with Cruz make up the two lesser extras on the disc – but note that they're both exceptional, simply overshadowed by the last. The featurette where you watch Pedro and Cruz interact really reveals a lot about the film, explaining the relationship between actor and director. Finally, deleted scenes and some clips from the film's red carpet night are the final entries.
"Broken Embraces" is on sale March 16, 2010 and is rated R. Drama. Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar. Starring Lluís Homar, Penelope Cruz, Blanca Portillo, Jose Luis Gomez, Ruben Ochandiano.
