Film Review — "Broken Embraces"

Pedro Almodovar's latest collaboration with his muse (Penelope Cruz) attempts to comment on the pressures that the process of filmmaking can have on the relationships of those involved, especially the director. As his "Bad Education" (2004) was an artful representation of his memories at a Catholic boarding school in 1960's Spain where some of his classmates experienced abuse by priests, "Broken Embraces" carries an autobiographical tone throughout the film and may be his most personal work to date.

Harry Caine is a blind writer who lost his sight and the love of his life in an accident fourteen years ago during the making of his last film. A former director, Harry now makes his living churning out stories and scripts with the help of his old production manager and friend Judit and her son Diego, who act as his secretary and assistant. When Judit is away for a weekend Diego is accidentally drugged, and so Harry is at his bedside when he finally recovers at the hospital, prompting curious Diego to ask Harry about his tumultuous past and queuing a flashback that fills the middle two-thirds of the film.

The accident changed everything for Harry, including his name, which was originally Mateo Blanco. Caine was just a pseudonym he had used for his extra-cinematic writings. The unknown Lena (Cruz) lands the lead part for his film because she happens to be the mistress of the aging producer Ernesto (José Luis Gomez) who, well-aware of Lena's attractive qualities and unable to put his insecurities to rest, enlists his son to make a 'documentary' of the production. Shortly thereafter, Mateo tries to save Lena from Ernesto's insatiable jealousy, but fate chooses an unexpected path for the lovers.

Almodovar writes his characters with a trademark sensuality and liveliness that knows no boundaries, which may be a continuing response to his upbringing during Franco's oppressive reign in Spain, and in this often hilarious film — despite some serious subject matter, we see those traits continue.

Some may misinterpret Almodovar as a maker of only 'serious art films' that require a degree to untangle their meaning, but in truth, one like "Broken Embraces" is a simple celebration of film's capability to bring people together, at least partially explaining his passion for the art form.