Beautifully vivid in cinematography and eerily noir in theme, pace and score, Los Abrazos Rotos a.k.a Broken Embraces, is an emotive dissection of heart wrenching circumstances. Love, trust and family cycle the stories of present day and fourteen years before, bridged by one writer/director’s sudden need to recount his own story before he can move on to writing another. Through opening himself up to a much younger man who is his producer’s son, a blind Harry Caine – previously known as film director Mateo Blanco – depicts the tense climate of making a film, falling in love with his lead and dealing with the tragic consequences dealt down by her Chilean financier husband, the rich and miserable Ernesto Martel (played brilliantly by Jose Luis Gomez). Ultimately, Writer/director Pedro Almodovar uses the catharsis of human interaction – our obsessions, jealousies and unintelligence when falling in love – to portray the intensity and importance of honest expression through film.

In the beginning, we meet Penelope Cruz’s Magdelena as a young secretary who works hard but has aspirations for acting fame. With her father on his death bed, the elder Martel enters the story as a caring boss and knight in shining armour to provide her family with the best medical care in Spain. In return, Martel takes Lena as his mistress and provides her with everything she would ever need, with the exception of her ability to feel true love for him. Upon achieving a role in Mateo Blanco’s film, Lena begins a passionate love affair with the writer/director, culminating in the pair’s escape to a picturesque sea side town at the conclusion of the shoot – a sequence in this film that will take your breath away. Through his inability to stand in the way for the force of true love, Ernesto Martel can only watch with vengeance as his young mistress slips through his fingers and into the embrace of a much younger and passionate man than he. Through jealousy and rage, Martel cuts the ties between his mistress and her lover through violent acts against her, having a camera man constantly stalking her, through editing their final footage with all the worst takes and therefore rendering their film an iconic flop, and ultimately through arranging their deaths. For Blanco, escaping with his life but without his sight or his lover seems too much to bear – a man of visuals without his vision, and a man of love without his lover are poignant situations to consider. By taking another name, the new Harry Caine recovers and spends the nest fourteen years working  hard and constantly wondering what could have been.

Across the lifetime of Pedro Almodóvar ‘s filmmaking career, many of his seventeen motion picture gems have been unearthed to become the niche favourites of film fans and critics the world over. At over two hours long, this film would have benefited from a little extra editing and at points becomes predictable due to the way every detail is repetitively stressed. However this is one of Almodovar’s finest films…and will leave you desiring the next project he has up his sleeve.

With Penelope Cruz acting as Almodovar’s leading lady for the fourth time, the screen is illuminated by her presence. Without a doubt, here performance here is reminiscent of the classy ladies of Hollywood’s golden past, channelling the grace of Ava Garner and further, a similar knockout beauty to Marylyn Monroe – Cruz stunningly holds attention as an elegant, but plain secretary standing on the bottom step of acting success, and then  rocks a cropped platinum blonde as the persona she perfects for the film within this film. It must also be added that this film demands Cruz to be on form, allowing more of her acting potential to be seen. No longer is Cruz just another pretty woman to play another part, but a serious actress with the ability to evoke the story being told with an unapologetic charm over her audience.

Almodovar’s film acts as one giant double entendre, mirroring actions and reactions with what characters want and what they actually get to feel. Despite the tragic ending, there is humour beneath it all, and redemption in the recognition that despite the sadness it is the filmmaker’s intention to make us feel emotionally cleansed and happy with the audacious outcome for Harry.  Pedro Almodovar could potentially find a little golden statue man knocking on his door, offering an Oscar for best foreign film, as the hype this film generated at Cannes is not to be underestimated.

Verdict:

Every actor is a stand out, which is ultimately another hat-tip towards Almodovar’s talented direction. A fantastic ensemble telling a really beautiful story that will undoubtedly reach cult status.