Volver review

Number 685 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Spanish Volver (to return.)

Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) is a young housewife stuck in a loveless marriage. When her daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo) commits a horrific crime, we see the extent she will go to protect her. Meanwhile Raimunda's mother Irene (Carmen Maura) seemingly comes back from the dead to tie up loose ends. 

This is the fourth Pedro Almodavar film I've seen after Talk to Her, All about my Mother and the Skin I live in. This has definitely been my favourite. Almodavar's films tend to be marked by a dark irony which underpins sometimes very surreal elements.

Although Volver definitely has dark parts they never overshadowed the storyline. Plus the surrealism was kept to a minimum. This was all for the best as otherwise the themes of womenhood and family connection would have been diluted or lost completely.

The supporting cast is rounded out by three other female characters: Raimunda's sister Soledad, (Lola Duenas) neighbour Agustina (Blanca Portillo) and the sister's ailing aunt Paula (Chus Lampreve.) It was very much a film with a strong female cast with few male characters. Yet it never felt disingenuous. All the characters felt real. It's probably no surprise that the six principle actresses shared the Best Actress Award at Cannes.

Volver was a good film. Yes it was dark and a little surreal but unlike Almodovar's other films, this only enhanced and not distracted from the story.