Woman on Top

Starring:PenÃ©lope Cruz, Murilo BenÃcio, Harold Perrineau, Mark Feuerstein, John de Lancie, Anne Ramsay, Ana Gasteyer, AnalÃº De Castro, ThaÃs de SÃ¡ Curvelo, Eliane Guttman, Eduardo Mattedi, Ana Paula Oliveira, Marilice Santos, Giba ConceiÃ§Ã£o, Joaquim Pinto, Veve Calazans, June Lomena, Bob Greene (III), LÃ¡zaro Ramos, Wagner Moura
Director: Fina Torres
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Woman on Top
Absolutely perfect!
Cruz Vehicle - Little Else
A Tasty Dish, but more of just a side dish
Sexy, Emotional, and Spicy Penelope at the Top of Her Game.

Woman on Top
Starring: Penélope Cruz , Murilo Benício , Harold Perrineau , Mark Feuerstein , and John de Lancie
Director: Fina Torres
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Woman on Top
Open Your Eyes
Tortilla Soup
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Don't Tempt Me

ASIN: B000067J24
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Amazon.com

Woman on Top pretends to be your standard fish-out-of-water romantic comedy laced with touches of magic realism. When you break it down and look at its elements, however, it turns out to be different than most, which is good. Hot Spanish star Penélope Cruz (All About My Mother) plays Isabella Oliveira, a Brazilian chef who falls madly in love with, and marries, a dashing waiter (Murilo Benício). Throughout her life she's been a victim of motion sickness, and the only way she can overcome it is by being in control, whether it's driving or being on top during sex. Her husband starts to feel that as a threat to his Latin masculinity, and when he steps out on her, she catches him. She decides to leave Brazil and stop loving him, ending up in San Francisco with an old friend (Harold Perrineau Jr.), now a drag queen. There she meets a nice guy-television producer (Mark Feuerstein), who sets her up with her own cooking show. Normally in this kind of movie his character would be the perfect antidote for her heartbreak, but he ends up more seduced by the success of her cooking show than by her. When her husband shows up, she becomes trapped in a love triangle where both men are deeply flawed. Can she forgive her husband's infidelity and fall back in love with him? Forget the answer. The fact that the question is being asked separates Woman on Top from the other broad, romantic comedies that share its tone. Plus it's chock-full of seductive Brazilian music. --Andy Spletzer

Description

When Isabella decides to break free from her rocky marriage and move to San Francisco, she discovers the perfect recipe for coming out on top - her own hit TV cooking show. But when her producer (Mark Feuerstein, What Women Want) falls in love and her ex-husband (Murilo Benicio) comes to town to win her affection back, who knows which man will end up on the bottom? Critics rave Woman On Top is "absolutely captivating" (Movieline) and "one of the most delightful films of the year!" (WNBC) Filled with passion and laughter, it's a spicy comedy about making relationships more delicious!

Customer Reviews:

Woman on Top.......2007-05-30

Charming little romantic "Magic Realism" tale with a mellow Brazillian soundtrack. Penelope Cruz was never more lovely.

Absolutely perfect!.......2007-03-16

This is an enchanting modern fairy-tale love story that is sweet and funny at the same time. My favorite bits in it are that true love can conquer all, even the wrath of a goddess... and the people you love are worth far more than a few moments of being in control.

Cruz Vehicle - Little Else.......2006-11-24

This film is pure formula - predictable and cliche filled - except for the camera loving Penelope Cruz's face it offers little. They put a partial quote from USA Today on the DVD container "Plenty of Steamy Sex". What? For a total of 10 seconds from the three scenes in the film. And where is the comedy? Classified as a romantic comedy, only a few scenes with a taxi driver are fun. The transsexual Monica (Cruz's best friend) is suppose to provide most of comedy (as Cruz has not yet shown that ability in any films that I have seen) but her role is all cliche and seldom funny. Cruz's face is gorgeous as always, but her walk down the street with a hundred guys trailing, all tantilized by her beauty - why? The cannot see her face; her ballerina background is evident with her very slender build and then add an ordinary walk. On a positive side, they did a wonderful job presenting the music of Brazil - the soundtrack CD is worth examining if you love the film's music.

Bottom Line: I watched this film because Penelope Cruz was the starring actress. But I feel I wasted my time, I could have done my laundry.

A Tasty Dish, but more of just a side dish.......2006-03-28

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 three, stars four. Have fun with this one! Grady Harp, March 06

Sexy, Emotional, and Spicy Penelope at the Top of Her Game........2005-05-10

I have hesitated on seeing this movie, because I haven't really been impressed by Penelope's work, even though I have seen her previously in All About My Mother, Open Your Eyes, and Vanilla Sky. Finally, this movie made me take her more seriously as a good actress with more than just beauty, and that she's no longer trying to increase her fame by dating high-profile actors. She's actually very pleasing and enjoyable to watch in this romantic comedy about love, cheating, cooking, new life/career and reconcilation.

Isabella(Penelope Cruz) is married to Toninho(Murilo Benicio), a musician/restaurant owner in a small town in Northern Brazil. She's the best chef and her cooking attracts a ton of business for the restaurant, and even job offers from America. One problem occurs when her "on top" sexual position made her dissatisfied husband to cheat on her, she decides to take off and headed for San Francesico for a new life.

She reunited with her long time friend Monica(Harold Perrinear,Jr.), a fierce and funny drag queen and just got out of jail. She had to use some kind of black magic ritual in order to eliminate all her love for her ex-husband so that she could move on. She took a job as a cooking teacher, and one day she encountered a TV show producer named Cliff(Mark Feuodtein) who was looking for a host for a new cooking show, and she got the job. Her style, sophiscation, and sex appeal instantly turned the show into a sensation. Just when she thought she could give love a try again when Cliff pursued her, her ex arrived at the scene and accidently became involved as background performer in the show. Now she's confused about her position in life.....

Harold Perrineau, Jr. did a great job as Monica, and he also did narration for this film. He is quite a comic relief. At first, I thought his role could have been played Rupaul, but then a less famous actor is probably more appropiate.

This is a good date movie or chick flick even, and I think it's so far the best Penelope Cruz film to be seen by non-Spanish audiences.

Average customer rating:

Woman on Top [Region 2]
Starring: Penélope Cruz , Murilo Benício , Harold Perrineau , Mark Feuerstein , and John de Lancie
Director: Fina Torres
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00005MFO5

Average customer rating:

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00008G7UN
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Average customer rating:

Woman on Top
Absolutely perfect!
Cruz Vehicle - Little Else
A Tasty Dish, but more of just a side dish
Sexy, Emotional, and Spicy Penelope at the Top of Her Game.

Woman on Top [Region 2]
Starring: Penélope Cruz , Murilo Benício , Harold Perrineau , Mark Feuerstein , and John de Lancie
Director: Fina Torres
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Woman on Top
Open Your Eyes
Tortilla Soup
Like Water for Chocolate
Don't Tempt Me

ASIN: B00005MAYD

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Woman on Top.......2007-05-30

Charming little romantic "Magic Realism" tale with a mellow Brazillian soundtrack. Penelope Cruz was never more lovely.

Absolutely perfect!.......2007-03-16

Cruz Vehicle - Little Else.......2006-11-24

A Tasty Dish, but more of just a side dish.......2006-03-28

Sexy, Emotional, and Spicy Penelope at the Top of Her Game........2005-05-10

Average customer rating:

Woman on Top [Region 2]
Starring: Penélope Cruz , Murilo Benício , Harold Perrineau , Mark Feuerstein , and John de Lancie
Director: Fina Torres
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00005NOM1