Broken Embraces

Drew's Thoughts:
Pedro Almodóvar's (Talk to Her, Volver) latest film is his most streamlined yet. He appears to be channeling his love of noir-influenced thrillers and Douglas Sirk's 50s Technicolor melodramas with touches of David Lynch-styled suspense.
At the center of the story is blind screenwriter who calls himself Harry Caine, played by Lluís Homar, though he was formerly known as writer-director, Mateo Blanco. The film moves along two different timelines, one current and the other 14 years earlier when Caine was Mateo. Lena, played by Penélope Cruz, also figures prominently in the story as the actress Mateo casts in the first comedy he was directing. Lies and violent twists ensue. I won't divulge any more of the story, because figuring it out as you go along is a lot of the fun.
Cruz gives a good performance as usual when she's working with Almodóvar, as does Homar. The cinematography and art direction were pretty great, fantastically colorful while still maintaining realism. This is Almodóvar's best directed film in my opinion, it's well edited and engaging and Alberto Iglesias provides an effectively tense score. My only complaint is that the resolution could have contained more oomph. The film builds potential for some kind of shocking ending but instead it ends up being rather plain.
Broken Embraces is a good movie, some of Almodóvar's best work. It should be considered for all the big Dolphins, though depending on how strong the year turns out to be it may get squeezed out.