Vibrant music, bright colors, drag queens and transgenders working the street, pathos, laughter--you name it, this film's got it. You'll find much of the same in any Almodovar film, but this isn't Almodovar by a long shot. You have to admire a lot about it, the actors, the direction, the inventive costumes and make up, but ultimately, despite the catalog of intriguing aspects, the film doesn't add up to very much.
Marieta's narcolepsy doesn't serve the plot except as a device for dream sequence song and dance numbers. These episodes seemed like music videos dropped in out of nowhere. While they're bright and energetic, a lot of the time I couldn't help thinking how much better they would have been--particularly the choreography--if done by an American studio in the 1940s and '50s. I shock myself when I admit that, but it's what came to mind as I watched this film.
There's enough storyline in this movie for three separate films, which is part of the problem and part of the charm. Although I don't regret having seen 20 Centimeters, I wouldn't recommend you go out of your way to see it, unless you're part of the trans-gendered community. In which case, it's part of your heritage.
Marieta's narcolepsy doesn't serve the plot except as a device for dream sequence song and dance numbers. These episodes seemed like music videos dropped in out of nowhere. While they're bright and energetic, a lot of the time I couldn't help thinking how much better they would have been--particularly the choreography--if done by an American studio in the 1940s and '50s. I shock myself when I admit that, but it's what came to mind as I watched this film.
There's enough storyline in this movie for three separate films, which is part of the problem and part of the charm. Although I don't regret having seen 20 Centimeters, I wouldn't recommend you go out of your way to see it, unless you're part of the trans-gendered community. In which case, it's part of your heritage.