Arriving in the middle of the summer (verses Oscar season),
Pedro Almodovar’s latest, I’m So Excited is hilariously weird. Known for dark
humor and themes (especially his last film, the very strange revenge thriller
The Skin I Live In) this is more upbeat.
On the tarmac we meet two Almodovar regulars: Jessica
(Penelope Cruz) and her lover Leon (Antonio Banderas) – distracted by the news
of Jessica’s pregnancy Leon forgets to remove a brace that is sucked up into
the plane’s landing gear and that’s when the trouble begins. I should tell you
the film opens with a disclaimer “nothing in this films is based on reality” –
here Almodovar is having a good deal of fun – think Murder on the Orient
Express crossed with the kind of 1950s Dorris Day Romp with the bisexuality of
one, Mr. Almodovar. It is true: the colors are more vibrant and the cabin more
spacious than say, even Virgin Atlantic – Ebert said it best in his review of
Almodovar’s Broken Embraces “a voluptuary of a film, drunk on primary colors…as
it ravished me, I longed for a freeze frame to allow me to savor a shot”. All
of his film films are visually beautiful (although The Skin I Live In takes it
to a whole new level of insanity).
Bound for Mexico City the crew are all gay (or bisexual)
including pilots Benito and Alex, stewards Ulloa, Fajardo and Joserra – while
the first class cabin is full of – I think the polite word is eccentrics
including another Almodovar regular Cecila Roth. Much of what happens is a
bizarre joy including one shot (you’ll know it when you see it) this is one of
this summer’s funniest. Upon hearing the flight is doomed and cannot land in
Mexico City the crew takes to entertaining the first class folks, while they
individually fall apart (a funny gag has each talking on the phone while the
whole cabin can hear their conversation).
Knowing the film exists in an alternative universe frees it
for all sorts of absurdity – the coach passengers are all drugged and are asleep,
while the first class passengers are given other drugs to loosen their
inhibitions – this is filmmaking without restraint and while at times it might
not quite pull it off, I was always smiling (sometimes in disbelief). This is
the kind of film that requires surrender: sure it’s a mess but Almodovar, after
a series of intense films is having a little fun with his cast of regulars.
Screening: Dipson Amherst, Dipson Eastern Hills
