I'm So Excited! (2013) Film Review

One of the unfortunate things about living in the States is that at times it can very hard to go see international films at the theater. While every once in a while a cinema will decide to pick up a few from the Academy Awards nominations list, even some of the biggest international films of the year rarely come to the states. Even then you can only catch them if you live in one of the few major cities around the United States. Still thankfully for Netflix and the Internet I am able to catch some great international films even if it may be months or years after their initial release. That said Pedro Almodóvar is one of my all time favorite directors. Ever since I was introduced to him at film school, I have been fascinated and in awe of the man's use of color, wonderfully written characters, and engaging worlds that get better by each film. Plus his range of is quite impressive being able to do both hardcore dramas and knee slapping comedies to an exceptional level. My two personal favorites being Talk To Her and The Skin I Live In, I cannot suggest enough to spend some time watching his films and enjoying watching a mastermind work behind the camera. His most recent film, I'm So Excited!, had me hooked from the first trailer. It had been a while since we had seen a true comedy from Alomodóvar tackle a comedy and I was hoping to see more over the top creations from this man's mind. While I wish that theaters near me would pick up Almodóvar's films, something is always better than nothing.

I'm So Excited! is written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar starring Javier Cámara, Pepa Charro, Cecilia Roth, and many more. The film follows the crew and passengers of an airliner that has had a malfunction and must make an emergency landing. It is up to the attendants to entertain the passengers and keep them distracted from the danger of the situation. After many drinks, soon we start learning secrets about all the passengers and the crew as well. We learn about a girl who believe is a psychic and wants to lose her virginity on the flight, an alcoholic steward who swears he's off alcohol that also loves doing musical numbers, a famous actor trying to reconnect with his suicidal ex over the phone, and an old dominatrix that wants to make a written complaint about the service. There is more but these are just a few examples of some of the over the top and hilarious characters in the film. We follow them all as they go through the turmoil of finding a way to land and hopefully survive this flight that's unlike any other.

Most comedies need to accomplish one and one thing only: be funny. When I sit down to watch a funny movie if I don't laugh then I consider it a failure in the comedy genre. With I'm So Excited there is this interesting mix between comedy and drama that I am not sure really works. When the movie tries to be funny it generally accomplishes this with some quick witty dialogue from some insane characters but it also takes us to some serious moments about these passengers and their lives outside the plane. The film likes to jump back and forth between these moments somewhat fast and it feels like it couldn't decide what kind of film it wanted to be. It didn't commit to being a comedy while also not being dramatic enough to be considered a drama. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but for I'm So Excited! I believe that it would have worked better in the long run to have committed fully to a comedy. I am not saying that this movie is a complete failure but this movie could have been a lot better in a few ways.

Fortunately this film completely nails, and absolutely dominates, one aspect and that is the musical number that comes in the middle of it. I was absolutely in joy throughout the song not only because it is fun but you can feel the movie having fun with the song at the same time. You can almost see the whole crew and Almodóvar having a great time behind the scenes. The choreography perfectly matches not only the mood of the film but also the characters. The camera feels like it is dancing itself flying through the plane and using dramatic dutch angles to capture every single move in its frame. Without a doubt this was the best part of the film and it left me wanting more.

As expected with Almodóvar the color palette of the movie is grand! Every color feels vibrant and beautiful, making every frame look like a painting which is surprising for a plane. The few times the film goes outside the plane we see a beautiful and color world that surrounds us. It was these moments where you could appreciate the color that reminds me why I love watching Alomodóvar films, no one else does color like Pedro does. His direction is solid here mostly letting the characters carry the film, he shines during the musical number though.

In the end I would suggest this film for Almodóvar fans like me. If you do not know who Pedro Alomodóvar is this is not the best movie to start with. It is not an instant classic like his other films are. The pace and tone of the film is a little all over the place and I felt like it needed more focus. Luckily Pedro casts the film beautifully and he sure can make some original and believable characters. The cast shines throughout the film and makes the watch worth it for their performances. Some of the smaller characters like the actor's ex felt a little wasted and you wish a little bit more time could have been invested in them or not invest as much time in them as he did. Though I do applaud the movie for its 90 minute run time, it feels perfect for this piece and any longer would have added unnecessary weight to the piece. The movie is fun and a great watch for the music piece and use of color and characters, outside of that this film should have been a stronger piece. Still glad I watched it though.

3/5