Volver

Aroview: Formidable Spanish brand-name dir. Almodovar re-embracing what he knows best – womanhood – in a vibrant and tempestuous tale of disenchanted sisters reeling from the resurrection of their supposedly dead mother.

Signposted with all the usual Almodovar landmarks – feisty women, lurid family secrets, scandalous murder, and the irrepressible bond between mothers and their daughters – the film also makes stunning use of its key visual assets, including a spicy palette of red and Penelope Cruz’s voluptuous cleavage (a character in itself). Cruz herself steers the film in a headstrong, career-defining role – she’s certainly never looked or performed better – while Almodovar tailors a rich and revolving narrative that completes a perfect circle by the story's end.

NB: The film’s title (which means “To Return”) is pronounced 'Vol-vier'... not 'Vulva'!

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