Blu-Ray Review: ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona,’ First Woody Allen Movie on Blu-Ray

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – I love “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”. It’s a wonderful slice of whimsy and sexuality that perfectly captures something about Spain that’s impossible to put into words.

I will revisit Woody Allen’s delightful, breezy film for years to come, but I hate that The Weinstein Company has chosen to kick off the catalog of one of my favorite filmmakers with a features-free, bare-bones release that barely takes advantage of this wonderful new format.

Allen gets a lot of help from his spectacular cast. Javier Bardem is confident, Rebecca Hall is wonderful, and Penelope Cruz gives one of the best performances of the year. (Scarlett Johansson is slightly miscast, but never awful.)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona was released by The Weinstein Company on January 20th, 2009.
Photo credit: The Weinstein Company

Johansson plays Cristina, a woman looking for what she calls “counter-intuitive love”. Her friend Vicky is the more intellectual of the two, a woman about to be married but still passionate enough to cry at well-played guitar. Both fall for the suave Juan Antonio (Bardem), who is still trying to deal with his ex-wife, Maria Elena (the amazing Penelope Cruz).

Vicky Cristina Barcelona was released by The Weinstein Company on January 20th, 2009. Photo credit: The Weinstein Company

Vicky spends a passionate, unexpected evening with him and Cristina even goes as far as moving in. But this is not a movie about a threesome or sexual proclivity. It’s about the way human emotions and sexuality can be unexpected and unpredictable. It’s ALL counter-intuitive love.

The main reason I love “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is that it shows Allen doing what he often does - telling a very simple story that many people would assume is easy to write and direct but is actually incredibly difficult. Making a film as laid-back and smooth as a summer in Barcelona is an unbelievable challenge, one that deserved a Best Original Screenplay nomination.

Why do some studios insist on only releasing their summer blockbusters or $100 million budget projects with special features? Do they think we’re not interested in any of the development behind-the-scenes of in the cast’s opinion of a film like “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”? Or are they merely double-dipping, knowing that casual fans will rent (and not be concerned about bonuses) and that the serious one will just buy it again when a special edition is released? No matter the reasoning, it’s aggravating.

What’s not aggravating is the quality of the film itself, one of the best of 2008 and easily Allen’s best since “Match Point,” which was his best since “Crimes and Misdemeanors”. “VCB” holds up incredibly well. I’ve watched it three times now and respected and enjoyed it more every single time.

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is pure enjoyment, but the Blu-Ray release is nothing but frustrating. Considering most of the film takes place in the sun-kissed, warm beauty of Barcelona, I expected a stunning 1080p picture. Eh. It’s okay. It’s not distracting but it’s also not as remarkable as it could have been. Some of the indoor scenes look surprisingly soft, without as much detail as I was expecting or as I believe I saw in theaters or on awards screener. The audio track mixes the dialogue well but doesn’t stand out.

As for special features, there aren’t any. Not even a preview. That’s unacceptable, especially for a format that has revolutionized the way that behind-the-scenes information can be presented to the viewer.

For now, rent “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”. Maybe even twice. But until The Weinstein Company releases a more special edition for this very special film, hold off on purchasing it.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com