Nikki

Has anyone seen this new Woody Allen movie? I saw it recently and was struck that although one of the main characters is a young American woman studying Catalan culture as a graduate student, the language of the characters in Barcelona is Spanish rather than Catalan.

I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem are Spanish, not Catalan.

I have googled to read reviews to see if anyone has commented on this, but I can't find anything.

highflyer

There's a fairly long thread in the lounge on this movie.

Barcelona looked cool and Javier Bardem was hot

Disappointed to see that both the American studying Catalan culture and her friend spoke very little Spanish. It was a little stereotypical in this respect.

highflyer

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35150595


this will link you to the other two threads

Nikki

I just read the other threads, thanks for the links.

Still wondering if anybody noticed the Catalan/Spanish issue.

I did see a review that said it was unrealistic that Vicky didn't speak Spanish, but I think it's more odd that nobody spoke Catalan.

bobthenavigator

Hmmm ! I saw that movie and was barely aware that either Penelope or Scarlett were even talking--who cares what language?

Michael

The artist presumably came from Oviedo which is in the Asturias, a long way from Catalonia; but he was identified as a Catalonian artist. This movie was about as realistic as Woody Allen's NYC movies where parking is never a problem.

111op

I'm sure it's been mentioned many, many times, but the characters in Woody Allen movies always have such wonderful apartments. Sometimes they are meant to be rich but even when they are struggling, their homes just seem far too grand.

I'd like to see some dingy rent-controlled, rundown apartment in NYC in a Woody Allen movie, but I guess that will never happen.

travel_buzzing

i am scared to see Allen's portrayal of Barcelona in this movie. ive seen the trailer and it looks as wooden as his drab Match Point film.
They probably kept Spanish as opposed to Catalan to appeal to a wider (hispanic etc) audience.
Hopefully the trailer's not anything to go on then..