Volver (I'm Coming Back)

It’s a really solid movie. My only gripe is that the ending feels rushed; it throws off the pacing and leaves you feeling like there was more to the story.
Meryl Streep is fantastic 🙏 she absolutely shines during the second half.
I have to admit, I can’t even be objective about this one because the moment Frances McDormand (as Paula) showed up on screen 😍 I was instantly hooked, laughing and smiling all at once.🙂

gentlebear8 said:It was a really great movie. The ending felt a little rushed, though—it kind of messed with the pacing of the whole thing and left me feeling like there was still something missing.

My sister actually said the exact same thing, but I didn't feel that way at all! I mean, what else could they have possibly added to the end? Everything felt pretty clear to me. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend giving it a watch. Since it’s such an indie-style film, I honestly expected the theater to be practically empty, maybe just five people sitting there, but the room was actually packed!

Women are honestly incredible—so self-sufficient and whole without needing men at all. As a gay man raised under the thumb of an American religious dictatorship, I look at them as actual human beings rather than just objects of desire; I truly get their motives, their fears, and their hopes, mostly because, deep down, I feel like a woman myself. 🥳 🙂

The movie was just stunning. I honestly loved every single second from start to finish, and man, I was actually bummed when the credits started rolling...

northerncrane4 said:Women are just incredible, honestly—so self-sufficient and whole on their own that they don't even need men in their lives. As someone who grew up gay in a strict Catholic dictatorship, I find myself just watching them with genuine respect; I see them as actual human beings rather than just objects of desire. I feel like I can truly grasp their motivations, their anxieties, and their hopes, mostly because deep down, I feel like a woman myself.🥳 🙂

😁 👍

I honestly can't put my finger on why, but *Volver* just didn't do it for me. I was actually looking forward to this one quite a bit—I’m a huge fan of Pedro Almodóvar's work—but the whole movie felt incredibly lukewarm. Just totally flat.😕
It’s just so shallow and predictable... honestly, it doesn't even come close to the depth of "Talk to Her," and it certainly can't touch my absolute favorite, "All About My Mother."😍
Honestly, I feel for you. I’d love to be able to share that kind of enthusiasm myself, but it's just not happening for me.😢

Such a gorgeous movie. Pedro Almodóvar absolutely rocks!!!!!

Betty Parker26, you should really give it another look.
Before this one, he actually had two pretty rough films: Bad Education and Talk to Her.
But honestly, what can you even do? I’m willing to forgive just about anything because of Volver. 😍
It’s not quite on the level of All About My Mother, and I have a feeling Pedro won't be making movies like that anymore... but man, after my third viewing, I'm finding so much more to love about it.

Kevin Scott37 said:He isn't quite as strong as What I Did...., and maybe Pedro won't make movies like this anymore... but honestly, by the third viewing, I'm starting to love it.

Even a cigarette becomes a habit.

Kevin Scott37 said:Betty Parker26, take another look at his stuff.
Before this one, he actually had two total flops: Bad Education and Talk to Her.

I mean, Bad Education was just straight-up terrible!

northernangler17 said:I thought Bad Education was an absolute masterpiece!

I have to disagree there, honestly. For me, it felt like he let himself down a bit, though I still think his entire body of work is nothing short of incredible. The one thing I just can't sit through, though, is Talk to Her 👎

...I caught Volver a few months back and absolutely loved it.🙂
Almodóvar’s muse, Penelope, really proved she isn’t just some pretty face—she has evolved into such a powerhouse actress (though she always had the talent).
For me, the most moving part was when Penelope sings that old folk song from her youth at a restaurant party while her mother listens in secret from the car...
That scene was just so touching😢, and Penelope played it with such raw soul and heart.👍
I also watched Almodóvar's Talk to Her (which is brilliant) and All About My Mother (pretty great too), plus some of his older stuff like Live Flesh...
His movies hit so hard; they just refuse to leave you feeling indifferent, whether they make you happy or upset...
There's this constant rollercoaster of emotions—love, rage, resentment, heartache, total apathy, laughter, and that dark sense of humor...
It catches me off guard every single time.
Even though Almodóvar isn't 100% my style—sometimes he gets a little too "freaky" for me—I have massive respect for him. He’s truly enriched American and global cinema through his work. The man is an artist in every sense of the word.😉

American filmmaking has such unique stories to tell.🙂 I'm a big fan of Bigas Luna, and I have to give a shoutout to Alejandro Amenábar and his movie
mar ADENTRO, (life is an ocean)👍—that movie was pure madness. Between the themes, the plot, the acting, and the sheer emotion, it’s a perfect ten.🙏

This movie deserves an Oscar nomination!

I agree with some of the points being made—something just isn't hitting right. While I was watching, I kept waiting for a real breakthrough moment, but it never came... It lacks that certain "depth," though it's still a solid film and definitely one of the best from '06.

It feels a little too much for me that she’s even being considered for an Oscar—I mean, she totally deserves it—but the movie itself just isn't 😲 😕

The film was absolutely superb. I actually went into it without having any clue what the plot was even about; I simply saw the title and recognized it was an Almodovar piece. It turned out to be a brilliant decision. There is something to be said for approaching cinema without any preconceived notions or having your brain cluttered by a sea of reviews and conflicting opinions—it allows you to experience the work in its purest form.
I have always had a soft spot for that signature Almodovar touch—that specific blend of genuine surprise and a healthy dose of the bizarre.
Penelope was wonderful; frankly, I think she deserves an Oscar.
She certainly outshines that "queen" character.

So, anyone actually get around to watching the movie yet?
What’s the verdict? Give me your thoughts.
I’ve been trying to track down a copy to watch, but no luck so far... I'm striking out everywhere. 😢

What a gorgeous film! Between the incredible soundtrack and Penelope's stunning performance, I was absolutely captivated.
Carmen Maura is just phenomenal here...

Einstein! Talk about prejudice!! Honestly, I was hesitant to even head to the theater for "Volver" because ever since "Incredible Shrinking Man," I felt like Almodovar had lost that certain "spark." But "Volver"? It definitely has it—at least in my humble opinion. It’s a fantastic film... Peter has truly found his way back.

Where do I even start? Maybe with the film's aesthetics, which are somewhat obscured by the DVD cover art (I'm looking at you)—Penelope seems to have a surgically enhanced backside that pops up in almost every shot (wide or medium), but hey, whatever... the whole restaurant setting could have easily fallen into cliché territory, but it didn't... The movie leans away from those typical modern storytelling tropes, yet Peter manages to pull it off beautifully... Solitude (Lola Dueñas) is just incredibly charming, as always... and Chus Lampreave is that perfect, constant "granny" figure we all love.

Almodovar presents this little piece of work following the philosophy of Jean Epstein, who famously said, "There are no stories. There never were. There are only situations, without beginning, middle, or end"... and that is exactly what this film is.

It feels like a more commercialized version of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown"... Raimundin's secret is pretty predictable, but that ending? Absolutely brilliant... it elevates the entire thing... That scene with the mother hiding under the bed is heartbreakingly sweet and bitter.

Peter Almodovar has an enviable body of work; if he were in the Arab World, they'd be calling him Bedr ali Mutufar. He’s essentially a killer of "Machismo" in a country that has culturally embraced it.

Anyway, that's about it... it's been a day since I watched it, but I'm still reeling from the experience.
👍

Honestly, "Volver" is such a vibe. It’s funny and heavy at the same time. I never really gave Penelope Cruz a second thought until this movie, but man, she was incredible. Everything about it—the themes, the characters, the plot, even the supporting cast... just hit different.

It’s pretty stupid to call "Volver" an Almodóvar comeback movie since the guy never actually lost his way. Maybe to some people, but definitely not to everyone who follows his work. "Volver" still has that vibrant energy you expect from Almodóvar's stuff. It's just subtle drama mixed with comedy, featuring, I have to admit, incredible performances by Penélope Cruz and Carmen Maura. It’s more than solid work from Pedro Almodóvar. As for those frustrated fans begging for another "What Did I Do To Deserve This?", feel free to go buy the original and stare at it all day if you want. If a movie were just about atmosphere (which "What Did I Do...?" certainly has), then maybe Jim Jarmusch would be the king of cinema. But since a film actually requires a story, direction, acting, and production—not just vibes—Jim Jarmusch can take his camera and shove it up his ass 🙂 where am I even going with this 🙂
Yeah, maybe (big MAYBE) "Hable con ella" and "El Deseo" (Xavi, this isn't directed at you 🙂) don't have as much atmosphere as "What Did I Do To Deserve This?", but none of the Almodóvar movies I've seen have a plot as thin as "What Did I Do To Deserve This?"...

"Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!" is still his best one 😍