by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar teams up once again with two of his favorite leading ladies and gets back to his roots with Volver, which fittingly means “to return.” The Academy Award-nominated film is now available on DVD.
Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and her sister Sole (Lola Dueñas) lost their parents in a fire four years ago. The two live in Madrid, but travel to La Mancha to tend to their graves and check in on their aunt Paula (Yohana Cobo), who has gradually been losing her mind over the years, made clear by the fact that she constantly acts as though the girls’ mother is still alive and well and helps her with the cooking. Back at home, things are just as complicated for Raimunda, with a husband who can’t seem to keep a job and an adolescent daughter who is growing up too fast. Everything comes to a head when Aunt Paula dies and seems to pass on her insanity to Sole, who now sees and speaks with her dead mother (Carmen Maura), who appears to have some unfinished business amongst the living.
The Volver DVD has a decent amount of bonus features for a single-disc release. First is an informative audio commentary track delivered entirely through subtitles with Almodóvar and Cruz. If you don’t speak Spanish, this track could be difficult to sit through, but the stories the two share about the making of the film are well worth the effort. Under the “featurettes” heading, there are five supplements. First is an 8-minute look at life behind the scenes, set entirely to music, called “Making of Volver.” Next are interviews with Almodóvar, Cruz and Maura, each under their own headings. Finally, there is a 20-minute AFI “Tribute to Penelope Cruz,” hosted by Kenneth Turan. The disc is rounded out with extensive photo and poster galleries and a handful of previews.
While Volver touches on difficult topics such as death, murder and incest, the film is surprisingly charming, filled with humor, colorful characters and settings. It’s obvious that this is a very personal story for Almodóvar, who has based the characters on women who surrounded him when he was a child. Their lives are complicated and messy, but real, a testament to just how well this filmmaker writes and connects with women. The cast is fantastic, with each woman embodying her character completely and faithfully. The acting is so good that you never feel as though you’re watching a film. Penelope Cruz in particular is at the top of her game. This is by far her best work ever.
Volver is a fascinatingly funny movie that successfully talks about death and dying without being depressing. The story, acting and cinematography are all top notch and well worth checking out.
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