A HINT OF LATIN - PEDRO ALMODOVAR - "VOLVER"

In hindsight, I like these two films together. Not just because both titles begin with the later “V” and are made up of single words either (although one is tempted to add on “V for Vendetta” as a third film and make this “V week” instead :D ) . I like it because Hitchcock and Almodovar are so different and yet both are so great in such different ways. This is a typical Almodovar film with passions (albeit of a different kind than usual) running high and pushing his characters to do extraordinary things; while Vertigo is a film shrouded in mystery and full of surprises of quite a different kind lurking behind every corner. The two styles are almost variations on a similar theme if you see what I mean. Ok you probably don’t, but if you think about it and watch these two films in quick succession believe me you will…
Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and Soledad are two sisters from a small town. Although they both carry on their own separate adult lives in Madrid they have never lost touch with their friends back in their small hometown. Their rather senile old aunt also lives there; they visit regularly and listen to stories about how their long-dead mother helps her around the house. Funny thing is, the little town is most superstitious and it seems that most people believe that Irene, their mother, “takes care” of their old aunt. Well, imagine Soledad’s surprise when one day, soon after their old aunt’s death, her mother actually appears in her flat, claiming she is back because she has unfinished business to attend to. Soledad doesn’t quite know how to take this but one thing is very clear, the whole family has one heck of a lot of sorting out to do.
As happens some weeks, I was in two minds about putting this one in. But there were more reasons than one in its favor. First of all, no one can actually dispute the fact that Pedro Almodovar is a great director. Secondly, Vertigo (see above) and Volver share some themes – and I don’t just mean the things discussed at the beginning of this post. You may be surprised to hear this, but it is completely true. Both hint at the super-natural, both storylines include many secrets that are progressively revealed and although romantic love doesn’t enter Volver, love between mothers and daughters can be pretty darn strong too (believe me I know) I think I can let this one slip in. My “problem” with this film is that I feel that Almodovar, in a sense, “pushed it” ever so slightly. And in all honesty, I am not quite sure how I’m going to explain this without giving the end away. Ok, I mean, we all probably know that a shocking revelation is usually an integral part of any Almodovar film, but squeezing more than one into that, making one more dramatic than the other and to boot, not “showing” the second big revelation but just have characters talk about it (I mean I think it’s surplus to requirements in the first place) takes away from the potential of this film. But it’s still a good ‘un. Just not as good as it could be.