A big disappointment. Right from the start, Leo (Marisa Paredes) is too weirdly frantic and needy. She cries way too much. It gets irritating. She is supposed to be intelligent and perceptive. Why can't she see that Paco no longer cares about her? He all but wears a sign. Betty says as much. Angel is instantly in love with Leo, although she is an obvious basket case.
The arguments between Leo's mother and sister are a bit funny, but then they get irritating. Another irritating thing: Leo goes into a bar/café. She listens to the tragic song on the TV and she starts to cry. She goes on crying for way too long, with no dialogue. I hope you like the song, because it goes on forever.
Some of the digressions are too much. Leo's cook is a great artist and makes a triumphant return to the stage. It just seems absurd and uncredible, not whimsical or funny. The long sequence of medical workers role-playing about organ donations was a confusing way to start the movie, although there was a payoff.
This is a great role for Marisa Paredes. All of the other actresses are strong, too. The scenes of the women together are sometimes charming and always interesting and lively.
Ultimately, there were too many plot twists and turns that were not convincing. Almadovar's next films were Live Flesh and All About My Mother, two of the great ones. They are completely absorbing, without the irritating and absurd elements of Flower of My Secret.
The arguments between Leo's mother and sister are a bit funny, but then they get irritating. Another irritating thing: Leo goes into a bar/café. She listens to the tragic song on the TV and she starts to cry. She goes on crying for way too long, with no dialogue. I hope you like the song, because it goes on forever.
Some of the digressions are too much. Leo's cook is a great artist and makes a triumphant return to the stage. It just seems absurd and uncredible, not whimsical or funny. The long sequence of medical workers role-playing about organ donations was a confusing way to start the movie, although there was a payoff.
This is a great role for Marisa Paredes. All of the other actresses are strong, too. The scenes of the women together are sometimes charming and always interesting and lively.
Ultimately, there were too many plot twists and turns that were not convincing. Almadovar's next films were Live Flesh and All About My Mother, two of the great ones. They are completely absorbing, without the irritating and absurd elements of Flower of My Secret.