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Broken Embraces Stars: Penelope Cruz, Jose Luis Gomez, Lluis Homar, Blanca Portillo, Lola Duenas, Ruben Ochandiano, Tamar Novas, Kira Miro, Chus Lampreave and Carmen Machi Director/ Scriptwriter: Pedro Almodovar Composer: Alberto Iglesias Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto Warner Solecism Films Spanish language-subtitled Rating: R for violence, language and sexuality Running Length: 127 minutes Penelope Cruz is having quite a year. She may be visited for a supporting actress nomination for Nine, and an actress nomination for her role in Broken Embraces. Cruz has starred in several films by Pedro Almodovar, who is known for unusual twists and characterizations in his movies. Alberto Iglesias gives us a memorable soundtrack to go with the film of obsessive love and its consequences. Flashbacks help to place the story, which goes between 1994 and 2008, though it does take time for the audience to catch on to the time periods. The story begins and ends with a blind writer named Harry Caine (Lluis Homar). Caine is a pen name and we find that Harry is really hiding emotionally from a devastating auto accident years before, which blinded him. Harry had been a film director. Helping him go through his daily routine is his agent/friend Judit (Blanca Portillo) and her son. Enter Ray X (Ruben Ochandiano) who tries to sell Harry a movie story, but Harry is suspicious. Ray reminds him too much of the past and of a certain wealthy man named Ernesto (Jose Luis Gomez). Ray may be Ernesto’s son. Also, part of the past is Harry’s girlfriend (Cruz) and we find out the tragedy that unfolds in the past as the story progresses in the future. Cruz was the mistress of Ernest, wanted to become an actress, auditioned for Harry, got the part and then had a torrid love affair with Harry. Ernest was quietly, insanely jealous, thus contriving his own form of revenge. Broken Embraces is a beautifully photographed film that sets the mood between the 1990’s and 2008. People age well as flashbacks occur, though the story has several twists and turns, plus with flashbacks, the audiences needs a road map to keep track of everything. Through it all is that obsessive love from Ernesto for Cruz, from Harry Caine for Cruz, and from Cruz for being an actress. People don’t make the wisest decisions and coming back to an abusive relationship is one of them. Lluis Homar as a blind writer is convincing, though his acceptance of what happened to him is stoic to the point of immobility. Penelope Cruz goes back and forth from man to man and bed to bed with fashionable flair. Jose Luis Gomez plays the elderly lover well, but you can see the canniness in his eyes as he reels in Cruz, little favor by little favor. This man would do well on Wall Street. If you are a fan of Pedro Almodovar, you will not be disappointed in Broken embraces, and if this is your first Almodovar movie, you just may want more. Copyright 2010 Marie Asner 
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