Volver

It is no wonder that Pedro Almadovar announced that Penelope Cruz was his muse; there could be no one else who would inspire Almadovar more than what Cruz does. I previously had not seen too much of Penelope, but after watching Volver, I became her fan. No one could have done it better. Though the subtitles kept me busy and there were times when I missed the facial expression on Cruz’s face, but she did one heck of a job. The mother-daughter relationship is beautifully portrayed here; between Raimunda and her mother and also between Raimunda and her daughter Paula. Tragedy encompasses the whole family which has brutal consequences, but inspite of all that they face, the women do not reject life, but accepts all the challenges that life throws towards them. To me it was Penelope Cruz all through the movie and it is no wonder that she bagged the nomination for the best actress at the 2008 Oscars. She was just…..I’m at a loss for adjectives. This magical tragicomic melodrama may be Almodovar's most restrained work to date, but it still features his trademarks: a strong attention to color and detail, a celebration of the trials and tribulations of women. The lovely Penelope Cruz has shone more brightly than ever as she does here. I realize that it is a hard movie to lay your hands on, but if you do, please do not let it go, because you would be a total idiot if you did not watch this great piece of art.