Volver doesn't grab, but gently catches you up in its world
I'm happy to say I pulled off one of my favorite types of movie-watching experiences yesterday. I saw a film (Volver) that I was looking forward to for vague reasons, but that I knew almost nothing about ahead of time. I had not seen the trailer. I had not read any reviews. I only knew that Penelope Cruz was in the film (looking stunningly beautiful in every way), that it was directed by Almodovar, and that it had something to do with a few generations of women in a family.
Ahh. No expectations. Perfect.
And I loved the movie--partly because of my lack of expectations, I'm sure. And partly because I love the quirky, the unexpected, and the not-always-fully-explained-or-justified moments in films, and Volver had plenty. The characters were complex but endearing, as were the relationships between them. The city- and village-scapes were beautiful in very real, unperfected ways. And there were some really stunning scenes that have just stuck with me, including the opening scene where all the widows are tending to graves in a very windy cemetery, and a scene where the character Raimunda (Cruz) sings a song from her childhood with such intensity and emotion.
Overall, this is not the type of film that just floors you with its beauty or profundity the entire time you're watching. It's the kind of film that gently and gradually catches you up, takes you by surprise, and follows you closely after you leave the theater.