Volver: What Goes Around, Comes Around

This 2006 dramedy is filled with comedic phrases only Spanish people could deliver with such piercing intention. Playing alongside like a Flamenco dance, are the fleshy plot twists, the comedy, family values, and Penelope Cruz as the leading character; that make this movie work so well.

Pedro Almodovar, as per usual, invites us to immerse ourselves in the Spanish world; with small Spanish superstitious towns, music, incredible slang, and beautiful steady shots.  

Early in the movie, we are introduced to Raimunda (Penelope Cruz); a hardworking mother who even though has a partner Paco (Antonio de la Torre), seems to be a single mother to a young teenager Paula (Yohana Cobo). Raimunda is the heart of the movie; all the neighbors, merchants, and even the streets know her but most importantly like her sister Sole (Lola Duenas), care for her. 

12 minutes in we start seeing developments from other characters like her daughter, the restaurant owner, and Paco. This latter one, who we start getting an eerie feeling from. You start feeling like his a ticking bomb, awaiting its eruption. An eruption that eventually blew him up to the sky after Paula stabbed him out of self-defense. Surprisingly, Raimunda, and thereby, the movie, doesn’t hang on to this death for too long which gives breathing room for all the rest to unfold in such a smooth, dreamy, and almost romantic tone. Some characters go up to heaven and some come down - Raimunda’s mother, initially thought dead in a tragic family incident involving their house burning down, reappears in Raimunda’s life firstly as a secret her sister kept but then as a surprise of joy. Whether she is just a ghost in a superstitious town or she never died, lingers in our minds. If she is a ghost, why is she here? Is there some unfinished business that doesn’t allow her to rest? Or if she never died, then who died in the fire? 

The way Pedro guides us through these answers is gentle and enchanting yet powerful like the Spanish guitar playing alongside Raimunda’s singing. I was particularly drawn to the color red throughout the running time. Almodovar’s use of it is subtle yet eye-catching. Red is such a vivid color to express love, death, rage, delicacy, and family - Pedro’s family of actors. 

The movie cleverly uses daily interactions as a vehicle to show how families deal with the afterlife, secrets, lies, and reconciliation. How family trauma can be left unspoken. I was also particularly drawn to the way the clever and nifty twists explored the themes of temptation, trust, and deceit. It is worth noting that even though these themes might seem dark, the movie presents them in such a vibrant and uplifting tone which makes for amazing and memorable moments with vast storyline depth. One of my favorite moments of this is when in Raimunda’s diner, she hears a group of people playing the Spanish guitar and she tells her sister and daughter that she hasn’t sung in forever suggesting things lately have been overflowed with resistance. Her daughter shocked by the statement, tells her she’ll love her to sing and the following sequence was beautiful and powerful yet filled with unspoken sadness and pain, and tears were following from Raimunda’s eyes. 

All in all, what great fun from Almodovar saturated with stunnings shots, immersive writing, and breathtaking acting. The perfect setting to delve into this masterpiece is early morning, right after you wake up, with an aromatic cup of coffee or tea, kick back in the comfy sofa, and let the magic happen. Nevertheless, you can’t go wrong at any point of the day and with any audience.