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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Delectable Diversion, December 8, 2002
If you are familiar with the wacky but gloriously fun architecture of Gaudi, with all the monuments to his gifts collected in Barcelona, then you will have an inkling of the pleasures in store for you in this little treasure of a film GAUDI AFTERNOON. Almost as a metaphor for the way life imitates Gaudi's art, this well written, photographed and acted film is so off the beaten track that that it slipped by the major theaters who search for the Big Movies, often neglecting these fine ornaments. In short, this is a story of an expatriated American, at odds with her own life and family, who settles temporarily in Barcelona to translate a South American novel from Spanish into English. In the midst of her tedious ad frustrating life pops what appears to be a glamourous femme fatale who hires our bored translator to find her estranged husband. And that is all the plot you get. All of the characters she encounters in her tidbit of detective work are uniquely different from what they appear. In the end all turns out well, but it is the getting there that is so much fun! With actessses such as Judy Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Lily Taylor, and Juliette Lewis expect the best of work. These women are gifted comediennes and the director and cinematographer use them as embellishments visually and emotionally and sarcastically to the wondrously photographed architecture of Gaudi. This movie is rich in color, in imagination, in acting, and in joy. Treat yourself!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Pleasant Surprise, November 27, 2002
What a pleasant surprise. An extra star for the surprise. Shame on the studio for tossing this film away. And why they ever decided to market this as a Lesbian film I'll never know. Anyway, I smiled through the whole thing, and laughed loudly over many little moments. It's all about the actors looking like they are having a really good time making a silly yet thoughtful film. And what a great cast. It's a small little piece of entertainment with lots to offer without hitting you over the head with typical Hollywood grossness. Best not to know a lot about the slim plot- just watch it and enjoy.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Original, fresh, fun Friday night fare, March 23, 2004
Though Barbara Wilson's novel by the same name casts the characters a bit differently than the film does, this cinematic exploration of gender and sexuality is really entertainting. When I try to explain it to my hip and theory-wise friends they roll their eyes at all of the plot twists, but they don't seem so hokey as you watch. And the opening credit sequence of this film is stunning--absolutely stunning. There are all of these gorgeous stained-glass-like images which fold and melt into one another; almost the way the identity of some of the characters evolves and shifts during the course of the film. We have the usual independent film suspects in the cast--notably Marcia Gay Harden and Lili Taylor--but oddly it doesn't just feel like yet another little indie film that could. The actors do a wonderful job of seducing us as much as each other, and Judy Davis' performance is much more nuanced than perhaps the film even asks for--which makes it especially delicious. And the landscape of Barcelona is truly fabulous. From the first frame to the last frame, you'll be entranced and engaged and surprised.
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