Sunday, July 18, 2004

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (movie review)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) (in Spanish, with English subtitles)
Directed by Pedro Almodovar.  Except for a young Antonio Banderas, the stars of this movie will be unfamiliar to American viewers -- but that hardly matters. The sets are retro in the extreme, the acting is alternately histrionic and hysterical, the plot is absurd, and the movie is a hoot.  It's all about women and their difficulties with men -- especially one man, Ivan, who has a wife, a mistress, and at least one girlfriend.  The subplot is surprisingly current, involving a plot by Shiite terrorists to hijack a plane going to Stockholm. There are a few too many coincidences to satisfy the ultra-critical, but others who don't mind reading subtitles will be amused. Grade: B+

1 comment:

jim larsen said...

Jim, you are a brilliant reviewer. Keep up the good work!