“So what’s not to love about an Almodovar/Cruz film?  He brings together great human emotion, wonderful melodrama, and the best art direction in the business, a marvelous soundtrack and a gorgeous cast.  I couldn’t be happier.”  

“Great direction of the movie.  Good movie, good plot and great acting.  A story of love and pain and everyone had a part in it.  Fantastic.  Nice to see all the actors in it again, it’s like the sequel or the inspiration to WOMAN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.” 

 “A long way to go for a Camel.  I think I would have enjoyed GIVE BLOOD better.  The movie felt way too long for the director’s conceit.” 

“I was totally entranced.  Great screenplay.  Needs to be seen more than once.” 

“Disappointing and too long.”

“Here is my summation or question: Is life ever a straight line?”

“Definitely engaging, but what was the point?  Looking at Penelope Cruz is a treat and the soundtrack was great.  Not one of Almodovar’s best.” 

“10 minutes too long.” 

“Loved the ending.”

“Colorful, varied, crazy, absorbing and well acted.  Fast moving.  I loved it!  Very clever.”

“A little drawn out.”

Erotic and mysterious and captivating.  Almadovar strikes again.”

“A little bit too long.”

“Pure soap opera!”

“Engaging.  Beautiful to watch.  Pulls you in.  Keeps you interested throughout.”

“8 1/2 was a film about a film making a film.  BROKEN EMBRACES is on the same subject, and it is excellent.”

“Too long.”

“Not as good as Almodovar’s other films.”

“Long, drawn out and boring at times.  Analogy about film was clever, but spent way too much time ineffectively setting up a lame mystery, and then reveal it which didn’t affect me at all.  Another 2 hour excuse for seeing Almodovar and Penelope Cruz.”

“If the Coen brothers filmed in Spanish they’d have done this movie.”

“To the question who killed Penelope Cruz, I say it was the director’s indictment of the SUV.  That was the only jumbo vehicle in the film, it was hit and run, it was in the realm of the English speaking resort.”

“The Luis Bunuel use of animal imagery is there.  The scene where Cruz is carried to the car; a dog follows them.  It’s a little different then Bunuel insect imagery, but it’s definitely there and makes the movie more interesting to watch.”

“Almodovar is an amazing metaphorical chameleon.  He makes me laugh and cry and tugs at my heartstrings…always.  I loved the interweaving of story lines and references to past joys: Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe.  My own fantasy is that someday Mateo finds out Diego is his son.  They are incredibly simpatico and connected.  Diego tries to put Mateo’s life back together by making a giant jigsaw puzzle of his passionate past (the Broken Embraces, at least some of them).  There’s always a mystery hanging over the film until the very end.”

“Beautiful to watch,  as a film about making images should be.  Loved the music and also the intimations of BLOW UP, THE CONVERSATION and other films using recording media.”

“The music was superb!”

“The film was expertly done, but it didn’t move me.”

“Every time I see a Almodovar film I think it’s going to be his best.  This film was no exception.  Who killed Penelope Cruz?  There just might be another film behind the screen.” 

“Beautifully filmed.  Especially loved the shot of his feet then the red shoes on the gorgeous floors.”

“It’s clear why Almodovar uses Cruz in so many of his films; the camera loves her and she can play anyone and all emotions.  This was a visually beautiful and interesting film, stories within the story and more than one obsessive love.”

“Almodovar is a superior filmmaker, and he loves women.  He is providing a homage to film, to the beauty of women and to love and its pursuit.”