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Virtuosity
Virtuosity
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
2.5 stars.

Erm...where to start?

Well, when I bought this I didn't realise it was about classical music, the synopsis was very vague but I guess the "prestigious Guarneri music prize" should have given it away. Classical is not my favourite genre of music so hearing them talking about all these famous pieces of music and composers just flew right over my head. I wasn't even tempted to listen, unlike in some other books I've read.

Then the romance. I can't say I felt it. It was two, maybe three, maybe even four, dates where they spent probably 24 hours together in total and they're in love all of a sudden. Nah, I didn't buy it.

The best bit for me was probably the chapter before the end where Carmen stands up to her controlling mother and her actions.

It was an easy read since it isn't very descriptive but it didn't do it for me.
  
Almodovar claims his fourth film is a homage to Italian neorealism, but as the wildly silly plot involves teenage drug dealers, the Madrid kendo club, a plot to forge Hitler's diaries, a blood-stained lizard and a telekinetic schoolgirl we'll have to take his word for that. Every bit as camp and provocative as it sounds, if not moreso; possibly trying a bit too hard to be shocking in places (some jokes about a character who's a paedophile orthodontist feel very misjudged these days), but for the most part engaging and very funny.

You'd expect this would all be much too ridiculous to take seriously, but even this early in his career Almodovar is able to find the reality in his characters and make you care about them. Carmen Maura is at the centre of the film and does a terrific job of giving it all some unexpected emotional heft. In the end it's still an absurd black comedy, but one with some warmth and compassion to it. A very entertaining movie.