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Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

 -  Drama | Romance  -  15 August 2008 (USA)
7.2
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Ratings: 7.2/10 from 126,286 users   Metascore: 70/100
Reviews: 322 user | 259 critic | 36 from Metacritic.com

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.

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Title: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 24 wins & 31 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Narrator (voice)
...
...
...
Mark
...
Charles
Juan Quesada ...
Guitarist in Barcelona
Ricard Salom ...
Art Gallery Guest
Maurice Sonnenberg ...
Art Gallery Guest
...
Manel Barceló ...
Doctor
Josep Maria Domènech ...
Emilio de Benito ...
Guitarist in Asturias
Jaume Montané ...
Juan Antonio's Friend
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Storyline

Sexually adventurous Cristina and her friend Vicky, who is bright but cautious, holiday in Barcelona where they meet the celebrated and wholly seductive painter, Juan Antonio. Vicky is not about to dive into a sexual adventure being committed to her forthcoming marriage. But Cristina is immediately captivated by Juan Antonio's free spirit and his romantic allure is enhanced when she hears the delicious details of his divorce from fellow artist, the tempestuous Maria Elena. Written by johnno.r[at]xtra.co.nz

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

summer | painter | artist | oviedo | sex | See more »

Taglines:

Life is the ultimate work of art

Genres:

Drama | Romance

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving sexuality, and smoking | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

|

Language:

|

Release Date:

15 August 2008 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Summer Wedding  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$15,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£243,684 (UK) (6 February 2009)

Gross:

£2,429,480 (UK) (13 March 2009)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Mono)

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

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 and Dianne Wiest in Hannah and Her Sisters and Bullets Over Broadway. See more »

Goofs

The people in this movie (including the leading man) speak Spanish instead of Catalan. In Barcelona both Spanish and Catalan are spoken. In Oviedo, only Spanish is spoken. See more »

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, directing, and acting in a 12-minute film which she then hated, had just broken up with yet another boyfriend and longed for a change of scenery. Everything fell into place when a distant relative of Vicky's family who lived in...
[...]
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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Iron Man 3 Special (2013) See more »

Soundtracks

"La ley del retiro"
Composed by Giulia Tellarini, Maik Alemany, Alejandro Mazzoni & Jens Neumaier
Performed by Giulia y los Tellarini
Courtesy of La Colaziones/Sones Art SCCL
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Woody Allen New and Fresh at 72
17 August 2008 | by (San Francisco) – See all my reviews

Principled monogamists may not like this film. Not only does it show its primary characters in relationships with multiple partners but, with one exception, they are quite open with each other about it. Allen suggests both that romantic happiness is best achieved with more than one person and that it is necessarily ephemeral (I wonder what his young wife, Soon-Yi Previn, thinks). He says in a Los Angeles Times interview with Rachel Abramowitz that Vicky Cristina Barcelona is, ultimately, "a very sad film."

If so, it may be the brightest sad film ever made. All of the actors are at their best and make immediate connections with the audience. With the exception of an unnecessary voice-over narration (in which Gaudí is mispronounced with stress on the initial syllable), the self-conscious affectations that haunt some of Allen's films are absent. Fine actors are allowed to speak for themselves. According to the Abramowitz interview, Allen "never talked to the actors, other than to give them stage directions." The resulting feel is often one of brilliant improvisation.

The complex romantic relationships among its four primary characters are what the movie's mostly about and I won't spoil it by going into them. Patricia Clarkson, however, deserves mention for her role as Judy Nash, the middle-aged wife of an American couple who are friends of Vicky's parents and with whom solid Vicky and impetuous Cristina stay in Barcelona (though Cristina soon moves in with the charismatic artist, Juan Antonio). Judy is married to a dull but steady man, somewhat similar to the man that Vicky is about to wed. Vicky confides to Judy about her uncharacteristic fling with Juan Antonio. Judy advises Vicky to reap her passion while she can and arranges another meeting between the two. All of this is low-keyed and entirely believable.

As the movie's title suggests, it's about Barcelona as well as Vicky and Cristina. There are many outdoor shots of the city, especially of Gaudí's Park Güell. They amount to more than a minor travelogue because structures that are usually photographed in isolation appear with everyday crowds of people. Like Bruges in the movie In Bruges, the city is more than scenic background. Though never mentioned explicitly, Barcelona's anarchist past bubbles to the surface.


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