Woman on top - Amour, piments et bossa nova

Isabella (Penelope Cruz) meets her soul mate in her native Brazil, marries him, and becomes the renowned chef at his restaurant. She suffers from motion sickness so she insists on driving the car, leading in a dance partnership and more. Husband Toninho (the handsome Murilo Benicio) tires of being second in command and develops the roving eye syndrome. Stunned by her husband's actions, Isabella flees Brazil and travels to San Francisco. Once there, she catches the eye of a television producer who helps her become a small-screen celebrity with her own cooking show. Out of the blue, ex-husband Toninho arrives and wants his wife back. What will she do?

Penelope Cruz shines in the leading role; she's drop dead gorgeous and gives an irresistible performance. Benicio, also, initiates flutters in the hearts of any female viewers with his charming persona. The movie has many humorous plot elements (a cross-dresser, catty television employees) that keep the plot interesting. Those seeking an entertaining movie with charm and chuckles will be delighted to happen upon this lesser known movie.

WOMAN ON TOP is one of those films that was made, publicized and viewed as pastiche and because of its honesty as a simple romantic comedy, it rates higher than many of the over the top and overproduced competitors. The film is colorful, filled with wonderful Bossa Nova music, and has enough eye candy to almost make you forget the main dishes! Isabella Oliveira (Penélope Cruz) lives in Bahia, Brazil totally in love with Toninho Oliveira (Murilo Benício) where the two have a restaurant featuring Isabella's passionate cooking and Toninho's macho front man role. Isabella has a problem: motion sickness - she cannot fly, ride in a car, or assume the bottom position during sex or she becomes violently ill (it seems that the sea goddess compensated her problem by making her an inimitable chef). All is well until Toninho has a brief affair that drives the crushed Isabella to move to San Francisco alone despite her love for Toninho. There she moves in with her old friend Monica from Bahia (Harold Perrineau as a superbly enacted crossed dressed drag queen) and begins her unsuccessful search for a job. In order to overcome her longing for Toninho and regain her culinary skills she makes a pact with the sea goddess, forsaking ever loving Toninho again. Eventually Isabella lands a TV show on Passionate Cooking when desperate producer Cliff (Mark Feuerstein) gets a whiff of her talent. She is an immediate success. Meanwhile Toninho, unable to endure life in Bahia without Isabella, flies to San Francisco and begins a series of Bossa Nova serenades to win her back. Cliff places Toninho on Isabella's show as background music and the ratings soar. But it is the ultimately the conflict resolution between Isabella and Toninho that brings the story to its expected end.

The story may be light and the script may be pedestrian, but the direction and camera work suffuse this film with Latin American magical realism and that keeps it lighthearted and fun. Cruz is terrific, Perrineau is the true star of the show displaying a sophisticated and sensitive acting skill that is very special, and Murilo Benício is not only a hunk and eye candy but also a fine singer and a warm actor who deserves a lot of attention. Story five, stars six. Have fun with this one! Grady Harp, March 06

Penelope Cruz as "Isabella" is the only actor of note in this very entertaining film I rate "7" of 10. From birth in Brazil she has suffered from motion sickness. The only way she can avoid it during "movement" activities is to be in control. So she drives the bike while the boy sits on the back. She takes the stairs instead of the elevator. The name of the film comes from where she has to be during sex to avoid getting sick. When she goes to S.F. she pays the cab driver extra to let her drive.

Isabella also developed a keen cooking ability, more like "fabulous" and just the scent of her food drives men crazy. She and her husband have a very successful restaurant where she cooks and he "entertains". She leaves Brazil and moves in with a friend in S.F. after she finds her husband cheating on her, after all he "has to be on top" occasionally. She has a voodoo lady cast a spell so she won't love her husband anymore. She gets discovered and has an immediate hit TV cooking show. The young producer tries hard for her hand but he really is too much of a nerd.

Her husband doesn't give up. He recognizes his "mistake" and follows her to S.F. and keeps trying until he makes amends, but she still has to reverse the spell to be able to love her husband again.

The film is very well done and both funny and genuinely entertaining. I cannot understand how so any viewers rated it anything under 5 or 6, which many did. My rating of "7" is a very solid one, similar in overall enjoyment to films like "Return to Me" or "Forces of Nature" or "Hope Floats". I saw it on DVD and the surround sound was used very effectively. The Latin flavor music throughout was also very nice.

Penelope Cruz is a visual delight, but the movie seemed like a hodge podge of scenes. The Brazilian music, however, was wonderful from beginning to end, so much of the time, I read a good book and just listened to the music as I read! (hooray for cablevision.)

This is a fun film and has several things going for it. Firstly it is sexy without being vulgar, proving that comedy without vulgarity is feasible. Secondly it is easy on the eye (Penelope) and the ears (Latin Rhythms). Thirdly, it is a fairy tale, both in content and format and hence totally unbelievable. And like all fairy tales, this one too has a moral...which is for the viewers to discover. The best thing about the movie it its old world charms, which is so endearing. Though eminently forgettable once you are out of the cinema hall, while inside, it is worth every minute of yours.

Recommended to take along someone you love.