Almodovar's 'Broken Embraces' never lives up to its potential

January 15, 2010, 5:00AM

Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar in 'Broken Embraces.'Given its modest awards-season recognition -- capped most notably by a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign-language film -- it's hard to imagine a movie being less embraceable than "Broken Embraces."

In light of that title, maybe it's fitting that the latest soapy melodrama from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar is a difficult-to-love disappointment. A cliché-ridden exercise that never exhibits any real heart and focuses on characters who never come alive, the movie also never comes close to living up to the promise of the names in the credits, which include Almodovar muse Penelope Cruz.

From a visual perspective, at least, Almodovar's film boasts all the expected aesthetic polish. He's too accomplished a filmmaker to let one of his movies look second-rate.

When it comes to storytelling, however, he commits a cardinal sin in "Broken Embraces": He lets his movie become boring, and insufferably so.

Penelope Cruz re-teams with director Pedro Almodovar in 'Broken Embraces.' BROKEN EMBRACES1.5 stars, out of 4Snapshot: A drama about a filmmaker and the star-crossed relationship that costs him nearly everything. In Spanish, with English subtitles.What works: Penelope Cruz delivers a fine performance, and director Pedro Almodovor sprinkles the film with his trademark humor. What doesn't: The characters never become sympathetic enough, and the story never is interesting enough. Starring: Cruz, Lluis Homar, Blanca Portillo, Jose Luis Gomez, Ruben Ochandiano. Director: Almodovar. Rating: R, for sexual content, language and some drug material. Running time: 2 hours 7 minutes. Where: Elmwood Palace. The story, which he wrote, is built around a blind former film director, Mateo (Lluis Homar), who in a series of flashbacks tells a young assistant how he lost his sight, his pet project and his true love, Lena (Cruz), in one fell swoop.

All along, a schmaltzy score saws away in an attempt to provide the drama missing from the script, while Mateo and Lena breathlessly try to figure out how to escape the clutches of Lena's well-heeled, ill-intentioned sugar daddy.

Unsurprisingly, Cruz, working with Almodovar for the fourth time, is one of the film's bright spots. Even then, though, she brings only a fraction of the crackling energy that helped her enliven Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona, " a role that earned her a supporting-actress Oscar last year.

If Almodovar would have made his characters more sympathetic, "Broken Embraces" might have been able to overcome its overplayed, often eye-rolling drama. Instead, he busies himself by embracing his trademark flourishes -- you've got your gay character, you've got your familial discord, you've got your strong women, you've got your humor -- and not enough time embracing his audience.

It's somewhat vexing, then, that the film has been greeted with the occasional nomination and more than a few critical swoons. I can't help but think those swooning critics are in love with the idea of this movie more than the finished product.

Late in "Broken Embraces" -- during an extended look at Mateo's unfinished movie-within-the-movie, which is intended to be laughably bad -- Almodovar finally gives way to the outrageous humor and bright color palette on which he has built his name. Unfortunately, there's too little of it, and it comes far too late to be of any help.

Like the comedian who laughs deliriously at his own jokes, Almodovar seems to be the only one in the room who is truly amused.

source: www.nola.com