Woman on Top

The plot is absolutely run of the mill, stirred up with a series of utterly irrelevant (and underdeveloped) complications such as Isabella's debilitating motion sickness, a sea goddess who controls everyone's destinies, and of course lots of food and music. But none of it means anything. In fact, every element in the script seems to have come straight from Rom-Com Writing 101 ... with a Latin twist. Torres' direction is at least energetic, but the only reason to watch the film is Cruz, who effortlessly holds the whole thing together (and gives us something to willingly glue our eyes to). Benicio looks good too, even if his acting is a bit wobbly. Feuerstein is adequate as the inadequate love rival. And Perrineau is fine in the standard flamboyant best friend mode. But Cruz is fantastic! Far better than this material deserves. It makes us want to revisit the work she's done for Almodovar, Trueba, Luna, Amenabar ... to see her in a good film.