The Flower of My Secret
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Movie Reviews of The Flower of My Secret
Movie Review: a softer, lighter Almodovar
Summary: 4 Stars
Not as emotionally intense as Live Flesh; not as stinging and punchy as What Have I Done to Deserve This?; not as all-out wacky as Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down!, this is nevertheless an enjoyable piece of cinema that, more than anything else, wears its heart on its sleeve--proving that, at least somewhere inside him, director Pedro Almodovar is a real softie.
Combining flamenco (not seen in any other of his films), paella, romance novel ghostwriting, a crumbling marriage, a sentimental editor, a lovestarved writer, and a few other choice characters, Almodovar offers this movie treat as he would a sugary confection to his eager audience, just knowing they'll eat it up. And we do.
Leo--a woman writer--secretly writes romance novels to make a big chunk of money, but is more complex than that, savoring a long list of "suicidal woman writers"--Djuna Barnes, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy Parker, and many others. Married to a career soldier, Paco, who's too busy helping Bosnians to pay attention to Leo, she turns to her friends for help, and to the bottle, and, eventually, to a newspaper editor, Angel (a man) who takes her on after being smitten with her.
That's the story in a nutshell, but the film has the Almodovar stamp all over it. We have the feisty mother (very similar to the one in What Have I Done to Deserve This?--in fact, played by the same actress), the young stud guy, the semi-neurotic female friends/peers of the female protagonist, the misunderstood male lead(s), etc. But that's fine; the director makes the dialogue his own (he should; he wrote it, also!) and we know it's his and are all the better for it.
While not the best Almodovar, this is still very entertaining and substantially better than many other films out there.
Movie Review: A suprisingly "light" foreign film / Una sorpresa
Summary: 4 Stars
First, I watched the movie in Spanish (with no subtitles) and have spent extended time in Spain, so I'm coming from a different point of view than most viewers. Secondly, for a foreign film and especially for an ALMODÓVAR film, this is light. If not taken too seriously, it's simply a light, interesting story about a woman who is having "man trouble." There ARE layers to the film and it does have its darker moments. But, let's face it, for a foreign film, it's a nice reprieve from having to question the meaning and joy of life and all that. It also has beautiful views of Spain and its culture, but lots of potty words.
Primero, vi la película en español (sin subtítulos) y he pasado much tiempo en España; así, la vi de un punto de vista distinta. Segundo, en cuanto a un film de Europa y especialmente tomando en cuenta que es de ALMODÓVAR, no es muy pesado. De verás tiene mucho en que pensar si quieres, pero no TIENES QUE enfrentar temas pesadas. Si no lo tomes tanto en serio, simplemente es un film que cuenta de una mujer quien tiene problemas con su marido (y qué guapo es!). Por haber sido un film de Europa, me gustó porque no tenía que estar deprimida pensando en el sentido de vivir y todas esas cosas. También tiene algunos momentos muy lindos en cuanto a vistas de España y muchas groserías.
Movie Review: Important step in Almodovar's evolution as a film-maker
Summary: 4 Stars
Sweet, and very well acted. This is much less wild and outrageous than earlier Almodovar, but compensates by having more real emotion. Still, this has two of his usual key elements -- dramatic use of intense color, and a melodramatic, almost soapy, story. It's clear he loves melodrama at the same time he gently pokes fun at it.
But in 'Flower of My Secret' the soap has more underpinnings in humanity, with subtler behavior and humor. Technically he gets even better with this film. It's beautiful, shot in a more subdued style than his earlier work. Not a great movie, but a good, entertaining, human one that paves the way to his later fully 'real' and moving masterpieces like 'Talk to Her'. Lovely performances.
There seem to be two distinct groups among Almodovar fans. Those who prefer his earlier, wilder, more genre busting work, and those who prefer his more recent, subtler films. I'm in the second group, but can completely understand those who feel differently. And where you fall on that scale is likely to have a big impact on your reaction to this film.
Movie Review: Almodovar's Worst, Still a Very Good Film
Summary: 4 Stars
This one was a bit abrupt and underdeveloped in my humble opinion. I say that only when comparing this to his other works. The dialouge, characters, and thoughtful + artistic camera work are all there, but the film does not delve quite as deep as "Live Flesh," "Women on the Verge...," "What Have I Done..." or "All About My Mother."
Marisa Paredes plays a famous novelist, who writes under a psudonym, Amanda Gris. As her personal life falls apart, her Amanda Gris life takes an unexpected turn.
You will recognize many Almodovar regulars, but missing is the amount of risque humor that you may be accustomed to in his films.
Still a fine pick for lovers of fine film.
Movie Review: The Flower of Almodovar`s new cinema
Summary: 4 Stars
In Almodovar's words this represents his first mature work (and maybe it is from a certain point of view) i do personally think that there were others before(Law of Desire, Matador) but it is fact that The Flower of My Secret settled all the basis for movies like All About My Mother, Talk To Her, Volver, women sharing one love, a man looking for love, passion, deception....pure Almodovar!!!The Flower of My Secret