“Women with Suitcases,” the mock film within Pedro Almodovar’s latest work “Broken Embraces” seems more like an Almodovar film than the film itself. The closing night feature of this year’s New York Film Festival failed to amaze, breaking Almodovar’s streak of strong and unique cinematic experiences.
The concept of “Broken Embraces” is interestingly reflexive: a filmmaker, literally blinded as the result of an affair with the trophy girlfriend of a jealous millionaire, has to deal with the loss of the key to his art—sight. This is such an interesting concept for a filmmaker to tackle, one Almodovar had been ruminating on for years, that it is unfortunate it did not reach its potential.
Just as there is a film within a film in “Broken Embraces,” there is a story within a story. Mateo Blanco (Lluis Homar) makes Lena (Penelope Cruz) the star of “Women with Suitcases,” and as they fall in love their worlds start falling apart. After the most tragic event of his life, Mateo Blanco becomes his screenwriter nom de plume—Harry Caine, and purposely gives up his true self. Only later in life, with the help of a surrogate son and an unexpected visitor from his past, can he reclaim his emotions, memories, and life’s work.
As the biggest name on the bill, Penelope Cruz doesn’t disappoint—the film is another love story to the unbounded beauty of Almodovar’s muse. Although less of a performance than in “Volver,” Cruz’s Lena ultimately captures the audience’s hearts as only a true screen siren can. Her character stands out, simply stated, from the somewhat boring and unremarkable performances of the rest of the cast.
Serious thought went into the film’s editing and symbolism, and maybe as a result Almodovar’s often unique creativity seems subdued. The screenplay is lackluster and sometimes even lazy—throwing in plot twists never explained—and the characters all seem like sketches never fully realized before put on the screen. “Broken Embraces” is certainly an interesting progression for dedicated lovers of Almodovar’s work. But for those less invested, renting a classic like “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” which here is clearly parodied in Mateo’s film, is more worthwhile. Why see a formulaic parody when the original still stands?
