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"Pretty
'Woman'"
by Scott Mantz
"Woman On Top"
Penelope Cruz, Murilo Benicio
Directed by Fina Torres
The saying "for
every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" certainly
applies to talent. Case in point is Isabella, a Brazilian beauty
whose penchant for cooking delectable dishes is offset by her penchant
for getting motion sickness at the drop of a hat. "Woman On Top"
will no doubt serve as Penelope Cruz's breakthrough to the American
public, but while the film has the fine aroma of a quirky, charming,
and sensuous romantic comedy, it has an ending that will leave a
bad taste in your mouth.
When Isabella
(Penelope Cruz) and Toninho (Murilo Benicio) aren't engaged in running
their struggling Brazilian restaurant, they're just engaged in each
other. The problem is that Isabella suffers from a debilitating
case of motion sickness, which means she has to be on top of everything--including
Toninho. But when Isabella catches Toninho on top of another woman,
she runs off to San Francisco to pursue her dream of becoming a
chef. Thanks to her magical cooking and even more magical charisma,
she catches the attention of a stressed-out TV producer (Mark Feuerstein)
and gets her own show. Just when things are finally going her way,
she finds herself battling network TV executives and her humiliated
husband who comes to town wanting her back.
Venezuelan-born
director Fina Torres sets the tone of "Woman On Top" early on by
capturing the passionate and spiritual flavor of Isabella and her
environment. In Brazil, passion is everything, whether it comes
to food or to relationships. That passion underscores the film (with
the help of a sexy soundtrack) and keeps the proceedings fresh and
funny, but it also keeps Isabella's sensual charisma balanced with
an irresistible charm.
Unfortunately,
the main problem with "Woman On Top" is with the ending. For all
the progress that Isabella makes to establish her own identity,
one can't help but feel disappointed by her ultimate decision. Without
giving anything away, it's safe to say that all the respect that
Isabella earns during her quest to make a name for herself is lost
by the time the film wraps up. She comes full circle, but in this
case, the beginning of the circle was rife with problems.
Penelope Cruz
puts in a performance that effectively balances her inescapable
beauty with her innocent charm. You can't help but root for her
as she fights to stay true to herself and establish her own identity,
which is what ultimately makes her final decision all the more frustrating.
Hot off her performance in "All About My Mother," last year's Oscar-winner
for Best Foreign Film, Cruz once again finds herself in the company
of scene-stealing transvestite. As Monica, Harold Perrineau, Jr.
("The Edge," "The Best Man," TV's "Oz") takes the film by the reels
and runs with it, giving an outrageous performance that compliments
Cruz's more soft-spoken and sweet demeanor.
Despite the
film's San Francisco setting, "Woman On Top" is filled with plenty
of Hollywood-inspired moments. Mark Feuerstein fits the bill as
the neurotic programming executive who's always one step away from
losing his job (then again, aren't they all?). His initial intention
is to score with Cruz on a romantic level, but things change once
the show scores with the ratings. Instead of doing what's right
for his heart, he finds himself doing what's right for the show.
For example, he's a little too quick to add Cruz's philandering
husband (played by the irresistible Murilo Benicio) to the show
when his unplanned appearance results in boosted ratings.
"Woman On Top"
may have a lot going for it as far as romantic comedies are concerned,
but it fails to bring it all together, thanks to a less-than-satisfying
conclusion. Ultimately, the film misses the point by saying that
following your heart means giving up your identity. It's almost
as if director Torres was under so much pressure to steer clear
of the typical Hollywood ending that she ended up with one that
didn't fit the film at all. Instead of finishing out on top, Cruz
only shoots for the middle. In this case, she still manages to score.
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