I'M SO Excited..... Movie review

I AM NOT SO..........EXCITED

Foreign films don't form part of normal audience viewing, thus many get amiss living in a small city. But no surprise when Harbour Lighthouse in Southampton decided to screen Almodovar's new instalment. The fact that Spanish filmmaker has already made his marks from his movies of 90s and noughties and generated a fan base all over island make sure the cinema house that it wont be a loss deal to screen, " I'm so excited". On a Sunday afternoon with semi packed auditorium, we were ready for a voracious screenplay with multiple sub plots and metaphors. We did get the later half but not the first half. Pedro Almodovar was trying his hands on light romantic situational comedy with  his usual undertones.

The movie starts on airport runway, with revelation by airport porter Penelope Cruz to a plane technician Antonio Banderas, and revelation leads to an accidental swallowing of a part in the engine. Thereby leading to failure of landing gear of a flight destined to Mexico, triggering a storyline of confessions, building friendships, experimental relationships, class warfare and what not. Almodovar uses comedy as medium to deliver these metaphors. The economy class including their stewardesses are somehow being sedated to avoid confrontation of unfortunate circumstances, an undertone of class prejudice. Some one mentioned supposed to be metaphor of current Spain trapped in EU, no idea.   The business class, served by 3 camp gay stewards, is form of characters to give more metaphors and sub plots to save plane (movie) from crash landing. We have a semi retired actor flying to revive his career by fetching roles in Mexican Television industry. On learning on fate of his aircraft, calls his girlfriend suffering from mental health problems and on verge of suicide literally, but gets connected to his ex whom he shared true love apparently. Hence fate directs him towards confession of being a bad boyfriend and paranoia of being ageing actor and slipping career. Then there is another ageing B grade actress, Norma, a diva who earned her name and now money by her élite fans of her sexuality and now blackmailing them for their xrated videos. She thinks it's a conspiracy to kill her and confesses everything only to fall in love with henchman who is on board to kill her.  We have psychic virgin who senses the plane's discrepancy and outs to people and out of frustration consummate with a sedated bloke of economy class. There is a father searching his daughter who has runaway from her orthodox background to be model only turns out aX rated actress, employee of  Norma. It is also revealed later on that he has committed several financial frauds, latest one being an airport which has no use. The crew also give us some stories, the head steward having a relationship with his pilot, a bisexual in a committed marriage. The co-pilot stuck in a meaningless relationship with girl wants to know why he isn't bisexual and experiments with men around him often. The large steward , practicing celibacy, but has ravaging sexual urge underneath. Throw in few puns, some banter and a pointer sister song of movie title performed by stewards to calm passenger down and we have the climax.

 The movie is travelling in a linear direction unlike the plane circling the Spain, and like aircraft fails to reach its destination. The characters are well picked and so are actors chose to do them. But it's not the play acting that lets down, it's the script which fails to take off. The plot can be very claustrophobic as after all is only in the business class of a Spanish flight. The metaphors are good but not potent enough to give the horsepower to engine. The Almodovar fans like me feel let down at his attempt to make a light movie. He might be forgiven as people unknown to his genre might like his movie, but it's not a masterpiece nor a movie of good direction. It is more like jigsaw puzzle with pieces of scenes falling in to place to create a scenic poster. The movie doesn't present much with excitement, few giggles and some undertones.

Verdict : A flat coke  **1/2