Vicky Cristina Barcelona

"Life is the ultimate work of art."

2008 1h 36m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 4,137

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.

“Life is the ultimate work of art.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Lionsgate+ Amazon ChannelSubscription

Howdy Amazon ChannelSubscription

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Scarlett Johansson
Cristina
Rebecca Hall
Vicky
Javier Bardem
Juan Antonio Gonzalo
Penélope Cruz
María Elena
Christopher Evan Welch
Narrator (voice)
Chris Messina
Doug
Patricia Clarkson
Judy Nash
Kevin Dunn
Mark Nash

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Woody Allen
Writers: Woody Allen
Languages: Spanish, English
Countries: Spain, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 6.4× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 18 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Spain, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Woody Allen, shot by Javier Aguirresarobe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Alisa Lepselter shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall and Javier Bardem carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Life is the ultimate work of art.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Woody Allen directs. Javier Aguirresarobe behind the camera. Alisa Lepselter cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in Spain, United States of America. Dialogue in Spanish, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 6.4× over at the box office.
2Released 18 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
4International production across 2 countries: Spain, United States of America.
5Directed by Woody Allen, shot by Javier Aguirresarobe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Editor Alisa Lepselter shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall and Javier Bardem carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Life is the ultimate work of art.".
9IMDB entry: tt0497465 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 11 themes, including "barcelona, spain", "photographer", "artist", "menage a trois".

The technical file

Cinematography: Javier Aguirresarobe
Editing: Alisa Lepselter
Production design: Alain Baineé
Costume design: Sonia Grande
Makeup / hair: Esther Plaza
Sound: Lee Dichter
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $15,000,000
Box office: $96,409,830
Return: 643% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Awards

Gaudí a la millor actriu secundària
Gaudí Award for Best Original Score
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Gaudí Award for Best Non-Catalan Language Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Woody Allen

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-03-31
★ 7/10
"Vicky" (Rebecca Hall) is the more sensible and realistic of the friends. "Cristina" (Scarlett Johansson) tends to fly more by the seat of he pants - and both have come to the lively and vibrant city of Barcelona for an holiday. Almost immediately then encounter the typically mischievous painter "Juan Antonio" (Javier Bardem) who invites them for a weekend at his. Initially this story rather goes as we might expect, but the emergence of his ex-wife "Maria Elena" (Penêlope Cruz) and "Doug" (Chris Messina) who's the rather nice but dim boyfriend of "Vicky" now provides us with all the ingredients for a sexually tense maelstrom set amidst the temperamentally unsound worlds of art, wine and sunshine. I think this is Woody Allen's writing at it's best here. It's funny and poignant whilst at the same time light-hearted enough to allow the actors to develop the characters in a natural and engaging fashion. Bardem is great as the painter but it's Cruz who really shines here. Her portrayal of the highly-strung "Maria Elena" is at times embarrassing, then hilarious then - when she has a gun, well that's just downright dangerous (even if she couldn't hit a barn door with a shovel). It's a great looking film using the beautiful city and it's Gaudi architecture as a fitting backdrop for a drama that Christopher Evan Welch narrates (sparingly) in an almost sarcastic fashion. It packs plenty into ninety-odd minutes and is a strong example of an ensemble cast working well together.
misubisu2025-11-12
★ 9/10
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) Review: A Sun-Drenched, Passionate Masterpiece - 9/10 In the vast and varied filmography of Woody Allen, Vicky Cristina Barcelona stands out as one of his most vibrant, perfectly realised, and emotionally resonant works. It is a film that captures the intoxicating, and often perilous, allure of following your desires, set against a backdrop so beautiful it becomes a character in itself. Bolstered by a trio of firecracker performances, this is Allen at his most insightful and entertaining. The Premise: A Summer of Seduction The story is deceptively simple. Two friends, the pragmatic Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and the impulsive Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), spend a summer in Barcelona. Their carefully constructed worldviews are thrown into chaos when they are propositioned by the passionate and bohemian artist, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). What unfolds is a witty, poignant, and beautifully observed exploration of love, art, security, and the eternal struggle between the head and the heart. The Firecracker Chemistry The true engine of this film is the explosive, Oscar-winning chemistry between its leads. * Javier Bardem is magnetic as Juan Antonio, imbuing the stereotypical "Latin lover" with a soulful intelligence and raw charisma that makes his philosophical seduction entirely believable. * Scarlett Johansson is perfectly cast as the restless Cristina, whose yearning for artistic passion and undefined love makes her the perfect catalyst for the film's central conflict. * Penélope Cruz, in her Academy Award-winning performance, is an absolute force of nature. As María Elena, Juan Antonio's brilliant and volatile ex-wife, she erupts onto the screen, delivering a performance that is at once hilarious, terrifying, and heartbreaking. She is the film's live wire, and the scenes between her, Bardem, and Johansson crackle with an unpredictable, dangerous, and utterly captivating energy. The Verdict: A Modern Classic 9/10 - Woody Allen's Most Passionate Film While Rebecca Hall provides the film's crucial, grounded soul, it is the fiery triad of Johansson, Cruz, and Bardem that makes Vicky Cristina Barcelona so unforgettable. Allen's script is sharp and wise, his direction is effortless, and the sun-drenched cinematography and gorgeous Spanish guitar soundtrack create a seductive, dreamlike atmosphere. It is a film that understands that the heart is not a logical organ, and that the pursuit of love and art is a beautiful, messy, and sometimes painful necessity. A near-perfect blend of comedy, drama, and romance, this is a film that lingers in the memory long after the final, poignant frame.