Okay...so I might be just a little obsessed with Scarlett Johansson, but it just seems that every movie she is in I just so happen to love. I stumbled upon the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona my sophomore year of high school, and still watch it once a month to this day.This movie is disguised as your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, but the underlying conflicts that it preserves is astounding and makes this Woody Allen film a great one. There is not one genre that this movie can be pinned to, and that's probably my favorite part about the Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The film is claimed to be a comedy, but it's really not that funny. It's closer to a character-driven drama (in the slightest sense), but that still doesn't pin the movie just right.
The whole movie can be summed up in just a couple of sentences because there is not a lot of action. Vicky, an uptight fiance living a life that she planned but is unhappy with, and Cristina, a girl falling in and out of love only knowing what she doesn't want, go on vacation to Barcelona. They meet this charming character Juan Antonio, who is played by the ever-gorgeous Javier Bardem, and against Vicky's wishes the girls decide to spend the weekend with him in a Spanish town away from the city. Juan Antonio's unexpected honesty about wanting to sleep with both Vicky and Cristina surprises both ladies. The romance that each of them ensue is genuine and spontaneous. Vicky finds love with Juan Antonio because of her lack of spontaneity in her life (even though she is technically engaged), and Cristina finds comfort in feeling like she has found someone that brings out the best in her and that she can potentially settle with.
I guess the part of the film that bugs me the most is that there essentially not a physical protagonist, but there is an inner struggle in everyone. Each character is so significant and deep, that they all feel like the central character. This makes the film have three protagonists, and each of these characters have their own antagonist inside of them that battles the thought of true love. Each of them mingle with the possibility of true love throughout the film, yet it is their own personal characteristics and inhibitions (due to past experience) that hold them back.
The actors that were chosen to perform in this film do a phenomenal job at interpreting the complicated, intricate personalities that develop the story through their romantic interactions. Every character breathes so much life into their role. Vicky attempts to deal with doubts regarding her upcoming marriage, Cristina is so concerned with not knowing what she wants in life that she questions undeniably beautiful situations, and Juan Antonio defiantly holds his love for his crazy ex despite his romantic encounters with Vicky and Cristina.
This film tells a story that gets each member of the audience to a different emotional destination whether it's back to point A, point B, or point Z. Some argue this film is boring and lacks conflict, but it's those who appreciate the value of the characters more than the plot that truly appreciate this film.
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