Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 163 Ratings

  • Starring: Javier Bardem, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson
  • Summary: Two young American women, Vicky and Cristina come to Barcelona for a summer holiday. Vicky is sensible and engaged to be married; Cristina is emotionally and sexually adventurous. In Barcelona, they’re drawn into a series of unconventional romantic entanglements with Juan Antonio, a charirismatic painter, who is still involved with his tempestuous ex-wife Maria Elena. Set against the luscious Mediterranean sensuality of Barcelona, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is Woody Allen’s funny and open-minded celebration of love in all its configurations. (The Weinstein Company) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 36
  2. Negative: 2 out of 36
  1. The film's freedom and control, its inspiration and focus, announce it as the work of a confident and mature artist.
  2. The two most hilarious characters, played by Spain's two most famous actors, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, are nothing if not cliches about tempestuous Latin lovers. But, boy, does Allen have fun with those cliches.
  3. There are two stormy performances from Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz that elevate Allen's melancholy thoughts on love and relationships.
  4. Allen's laziness is startling, even in so mechanical a filmmaker. He uses a monotonous narrator to tell us what the characters think and do, though he then shows them performing the actions that have just been described.

See all 36 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 77
  2. Negative: 24 out of 77
  1. 10
    this movie should be watch as (Annie Hall 2), Allen ended the earlier by describing relationships "They’re totally irrational and crazy and ababsurd", and after many years he completed his idea and made it crystal clear, and now I can see the whole artistic work of Woody Allen as a masterpiece. Expand
  2. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is one of the strangest movies of Woody Allen, because it is extremely artistic, also the point of view towards art is unique and not influenced by the consumerist society. So if art is out of influence, human relations work in the same way, that is why the affairs between two, three and even four people are normal and accepted.
    Another remarkable thing is that the character of Woody Allen, who is well expressed in Annie Hall and Zelig, jumps from person to person; the first in line is Cristina, because she is looking for true love knowing what she does not want and settling for nothing; second we have Juan Antonio, who is trying to defend his concept of art and balancing it with his relationships; third it is Vicky who is doubting about her marriage and husband; then we see Maria Elena, she wants to get back what she had, no matter what she must do; finally it is Judy, who tries to fulfill her dreams using other people.
    This film has amazing performances, but the one of Penelope Cruz is the most outstanding, the academy award for best supporting actress is definitely well deserved. Also the script is one of the bests from this director. All this is surrounded by peculiar music and the beautiful environment of Spain.
    Expand
  3. ChrisC
    5
    The first hour is solid while the last hour is absolutely dreadful. The relationships start out somewhat believable but quickly turn to B-movie crap.
  4. MurrayR.
    2
    I'm not a fan of classical guitar.It's boring. There's scene where the sensitive "artists" of Barcelona are gathered together sipping wine and listening intently to mindless strumming. And that to me sums up this movie.There are no revelations ,no insights nothing is learned.And nothing is funny. Expand

See all 77 User Reviews