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Broken Embraces
Los abrazos rotos
2009 127 min Spain R 18+
★7.4
Drama, Romance, Thriller
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Trailers
Description
Harry Caine, a blind writer, reaches this moment in time when he has to heal his wounds from 14 years back. He was then still known by his real name, Mateo Blanco, and directing his last movie.
Budget:
$18M
US Gross:
$5.01M
Worldwide:
$30.99M
Starring
Penélope Cruz
Actor
Lluís Homar
Actor
Blanca Portillo
Actor
Awards
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Original Score
Goya Awards 2010
— Best Original Score
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Actress
Goya Awards 2010
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 2010
— Best International Feature Film
European Film Awards 2009
— Best Director
European Film Awards 2009
— Audience Award
Cannes Film Festival 2009
— Palme d'Or
Goya Awards 2010
— Best Original Score
Golden Globe 2010
— Best International Feature Film
Goya Awards 2010
— Best Actress
Goya Awards 2010
— Best Costume Design
Key opinion
Broken Embraces is widely regarded as a visually stunning and deeply personal homage to the art of filmmaking, characterized by Almodóvar's signature style. While critics praise the technical precision and lead performance, opinions on the narrative strength vary, with some finding it a masterful synthesis of themes and others dismissing it as formulaic or overly self-referential.
| Acting | Penélope Cruz delivers a magnetic and multi-layered performance that grounds the film's emotional arcs. | |
| Production | The film features meticulously composed visuals, employing deliberate color symbolism and vibrant palettes to enhance the narrative's tone. | |
| Direction | Almodóvar’s direction effectively bridges the gap between meta-cinematic exploration and a classic tragic love story, even if it lacks the transgressive edge of his earlier work. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative's reliance on complex, folding timelines is met with mixed reactions; some find the structural intricacy immersive and purposeful, while others view it as an overly formulaic melodrama. | |
| Originality | The film's self-referential nature is divisive, with some viewing it as a sophisticated reflection on the medium of cinema and others finding it self-absorbed or forced. |