Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

15 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Life is the ultimate work of art

Plot:

Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.

Plot Keywords:

Summer | Painter | Artist | Ex Wife | Marriage

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 19 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

Rebecca Hall	...	Vicky
Scarlett Johansson	...	Cristina
Javier Bardem	...	Juan Antonio Gonzalo
Penélope Cruz	...	Maria Elena
Christopher Evan Welch	...	Narrator (voice)
Chris Messina	...	Doug
Patricia Clarkson	...	Judy Nash
Kevin Dunn	...	Mark Nash
Julio Perillán	...	Charles
Juan Quesada	...	Guitarist in Barcelona
Richard Salom	...	Art Gallery Guest #1
Manel Barceló	...	Doctor
Josep Maria Domènech	...	Julio Josep
Emilio de Benito	...	Guitarist in Asturias
Maurice Sonnenberg	...	Art Gallery Guest #2
Lloll Bertran	...	Juan Antonio's Friend #2
Joel Joan	...	Juan Antonio's Friend #3
Sílvia Sabaté	...	Juan Antonio's Friend #4
Jaume Montané	...	Juan Antonio's Friend #1
Pablo Schreiber	...	Ben
Carrie Preston	...	Sally
Zak Orth	...	Adam
Abel Folk	...	Jay
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jordi Basté	...	Art Gallery Guest (uncredited)
Michael Bennett	...	Art Gallery Bartender (uncredited)
Paco Mir	...	Art Gallery Guest (uncredited)
Joan Pera	...	Art Gallery Guest (uncredited)
Rodrigo Rojas	...	Party guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Letty Aronson	....	producer
Bernat Elias	....	line producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	co-executive producer
Javier Méndez	....	co-executive producer
Helen Robin	....	co-producer
Jack Rollins	....	co-executive producer
Jaume Roures	....	executive producer
Stephen Tenenbaum	....	producer
Gareth Wiley	....	producer

Cinematography by
Javier Aguirresarobe

Film Editing by
Alisa Lepselter

Casting by
Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Alain Bainée

Art Direction by
Iñigo Navarro

Costume Design by
Sonia Grande

Makeup Department
Robert Fama	....	hair stylist: New York
Manolo García	....	key hair stylist
Ana Lozano	....	key makeup artist
Jesús Martos	....	hair stylist
Eva Quilez	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Nicos Beatty	....	assistant unit manager
Bernat Elias	....	production manager
Magda Gargallo	....	assistant unit manager
Bernat Manzano	....	assistant unit manager
Oriol Marcos	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Victor Cuadrado	....	third assistant director
Daniela Forn	....	first assistant director
Ainara Gamero	....	second assistant director (as Ainhara Gamero)
Marcos González Palma	....	dga trainee: New York
Murphy Occhino	....	second assistant director: New York
Richard Patrick	....	first assistant director: New York
Anna Rua	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Marina Pozanco	....	props buyer

Sound Department
Jorge Adrados	....	boom operator
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Glossop	....	sound mixer
Matthew Haasch	....	assistant sound editor (as Matt Haasch)
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
Giles Khan	....	sound utility
Sylvia Menno	....	dialogue editor
Shaun Mills	....	boom operator
Dave Paterson	....	foley editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
David Wahnon	....	sound editor
Joe White	....	sound mixer

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor
Ella Boliver	....	digital compositor
J. John Corbett	....	compositor
J. John Corbett	....	visual effects
Bora Jurisic	....	digital effects artist
Dragan Miokovic	....	digital effects artist
Jesse Morrow	....	digital artist
Vadim Turchin	....	3D animator
Adrienne Winterhalter	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Xavier Gil Esteller	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Igor Andrés	....	camera trainee
Francesc Carreras	....	first assistant camera
Francisco Carreras	....	first assistant camera
Beatriz Delgado	....	assistant camera
Steve Gilbert	....	dolly grip
Gillian Huxley	....	lighting technician
Jessica Miglio	....	still photographer: New York
Diego Moyano	....	electrician
José Luis Rodríguez	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Pep Armengol	....	additional casting: Spain
Cristina Font	....	extras casting assistant: Spain
Luci Lenox	....	additional casting: Spain
Anabel Pereda	....	assistant: additional casting
Sandra Sánchez	....	extras casting
Julie Schubert	....	casting assistant

Editorial Department
Elise DuRant	....	assistant editor: Spain
Kate Rose Itzkowitz	....	assistant editor
Scott Kordish	....	post-production coordinator
Harry Muller	....	color timer
Jorge Ortiz Yus	....	dailies colorist: Spain
Tim Stipan	....	digital opticals colorist
Michael P. Whipple	....	digital intermediate engineer

Other crew
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
Maralyn Causley	....	script supervisor
Almudena Cormenzana	....	production coordinator
Albert Dedeu	....	production assistant
Marisa Fernández Armenteros	....	production coordinator
Jo Gallagher	....	clearance
Jo Gallagher	....	production secretary
Sage Lehman	....	assistant: Woody Allen
Jessica Lichtner	....	script supervisor: New York
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	production controller
Laura Mateos	....	assistant production accountant
Ali Moshref	....	production accountant
Marc Panadés	....	production assistant
Saray Perez	....	assistant production accountant
Ainara Porron	....	production coordinator
Melissa Tomjanovich	....	assistant: Woody Allen
Maria Guisado	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
Deborah Alexander	....	special thanks
Jim Gardner	....	special thanks
Jay Rubin	....	special thanks
Peter Schneider	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Mediapro
• Gravier Productions
• Antena 3 Films (in association with)
• Antena 3 Televisión (in association with)

Distributors

• Prime Entertainment (2009) (Korea) (theatrical)
• Aerofilms (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Alliance Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2009) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Filmware International (2008) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Entertainment (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Hopscotch Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Mediapro (2008) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Pachamama Cine (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Viva International Pictures (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Weinstein Company, The (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Bir Film (2008) (Turkey) (all media)
• Central Partnership (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Discovery Film & Video Distribution (2008) (Croatia) (all media)
• Eurofilms (2009) (Peru) (all media)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2008) (Finland) (all media)
• Twin Pics (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twin Pics (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Weinstein Company, The (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Weinstein Company, The (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Big Film Design (visual effects)
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates (visual effects)

Other Companies

• ASG Cine y Figuracion  extras casting: Asturias-Spain
• Big Film Design  titles
• Modern VideoFilm  post-production facilities
• Orbit Digital  thanks
• Ovide B S  remote video
• Postworks New York  thanks (as Postworks)
• Sound One  sound re-recording (as Sound One Corp.)
• Telarc Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Midnight in Barcelona (Spain) (working title)
Woody Allen Spanish Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving sexuality, and smoking.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Spain | USA

Language:

English | Catalan | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44252) | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:7 | Australia:M | Hong Kong:IIB | Brazil:12 | Ireland:15A | New Zealand:M | South Africa:13LS | UK:12A | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Netherlands:6 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15 | Iceland:L | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Avilés, Asturias, Spain

Company:

Mediapro

Trivia:

With Penélope Cruz winning an Oscar for her role as Maria Elena in this film, it continues a mini-trend of young actresses winning Best Supporting Actress Oscars in Woody Allen films after Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite (1995) and Dianne Wiest in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Bullets Over Broadway (1994).

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Christina gets sick when they are at Oviedo for the week-end. The doctor goes to her hotel room and advices her to rest and tells that she became sick because of her ulcer. In another scene, someone asks for a painkiller and she takes aspirin from her purse, despite the fact that aspirin worsens ulcers. However, she could merely carry aspirin in the event family/friends need it, which is what happens during the movie.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: Vicky and Cristina decided to spend the summer in Barcelona. Vicky was completing her master's in Catalan Identity, which she had become interested in through her great affection for the architecture of Gaudí. Cristina, who spent the last six months writing...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Asturias

A triumphant effort from Woody Allen

Although this film has bizarrely been described as breezy summer entertainment by some top critics (which leads me to wonder if they saw the same movie I did, or just the first half hour), "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is the closest thing to the sort of examination of relationships that Allen became famous for in quite some time ("Anything Else" counts, I suppose, but lacks the sharpness this film has), and although it is far from as weighty as some of his dramas or even some of his comedies, this is his first really inspired script in a while, featuring a cast of detailed, well-developed characters, some razor-sharp observations on relationships, and a wicked sense of humor.

Although I never thought Woody's work this decade was particularly poor (other than "Cassandra's Dream" and although I'm in a minority "Match Point"), it has mostly been completely inconsequential and almost entirely dependent on broad characterizations and heavy plotting rather than real people and awkwardly comic situations (which has always been Allen's strong suit). A career-best performance from Scarlett Johansson, a wickedly entertaining turn from Penelope Cruz, and the absolute revelation that is Rebecca Hall form a great cast along with Javier Bardem in a role that may surprise the majority of the American public (well, for most of the movie, anyway). You can feel Allen's mark on their mannerisms, but they all seem to disappear into these characters, that's how good they are.

I'm keeping this as spoiler-free as possible, because it's really worth going into the theater not expecting anything in particular and savoring the film's often unexpected but never contrived plot twists and turns. All you should know is that Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) go to Barcelona for the summer and things get complicated when they meet a charming, mysterious, and rich painter (Javier Bardem) and he makes a rather upfront proposition to both of them. It's best if you know nothing of how Cruz' character impacts the film prior to watching it.

In relation to Allen's other work I thought it was interesting that he never attempted to analyze sex. The whole movie is in many ways about sex, and there is a lot of the expected philosophical and psychological examination of the relationships between the characters in the film, but sex itself is never analyzed as it is in much of Allen's work, and is instead treated as the impenetrable mystery it is. That said, Allen's script is extraordinarily nuanced, something that I haven't expected from his writing in a while. Sure, the characters still represent opposing romantic philosophies, but there's a spark in the writing that makes these feel like real people as opposed to mere characters. That spark, that chemistry is there throughout "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", it's there in the vibrant cinematography by Javier Aguirresarobe, it's there in the performances, it's there in the shot composition, and it's there in the editing, and in pretty much anything else I haven't mentioned yet.

The first forty minutes or so of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" may be the sort of romantic comedy (very good romantic comedy, at that) that the advertising campaign seems to suggest it is, but for the rest of the film there's the sort of pessimistic optimism that colors much of Allen's work (if that makes sense, pretend you didn't read it if it didn't), and let's just say it doesn't end well for these characters. There's real complexity and intensity in this film, and all I have to say is this: Woody Allen is back, the perceptive, intelligent examiner of the human heart, that is, not what we've had for the past while. To say this is one of his best films would be ignoring the fact that through the 70's and 80's he pretty much made nothing but great films, but I can at least say that this is on par with some of his better work.

8.5/10