......Your Moxie

I recently watched the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and if you haven’t seen it and are planning to, you might want to stop reading at this point.

For those of you who haven’t heard about it, it’s a 2008 Woody Allen film starring Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall. The basic structure of the movie is two friends spend the summer in Barcelona and unintentionally fall for the same guy. One of the girls, Vicky, Rebecca Hall, is very structured, goal oriented and no-nonsense. She is engaged to an appropriate guy and is in Barcelona working on her masters. Cristina on the other hand, Scarlett Johannson, is portrayed as someone drifting through life with no purpose and consistent in her lack of commonsense with men. She is quoted through out the movie as no knowing what she wants, but definitely knowing what she doesn’t want. Juan (Javier) is the painter they become enamored with and Maria (Penelope) is his extremely emotional and slightly homicidal ex-wife.

Considering Cristina’s history and perceived flightiness, it’s not at all surprising that she becomes involved with both Juan and Maria. Initially it’s just her and Juan living together but Maria winds up moving in after a failed suicide attempt. After an initial awkward period, there is a love that blossoms between all three, and each in their own way grow artistically and emotionally. Cristina, having never felt she had any talent, through Juan and Maria’s encouragement becomes quite an accomplished photographer. Unfortunately she begins to feel that ever familiar sensation of restlessness and “breaks up” with them and goes to France for two weeks.

Vicky, who initially viewed Juan with distrust and contempt, is the wild card in the movie. Before Cristina has a chance to become involved with Juan, she is violently ill for a few days leaving Vicky alone with Juan. After seeing a different side of him, and too much wine and Spanish guitar music one night, they wind up making love. It is their only encounter but it changes Vicky completely. Ricocheting from the guilt she throws herself into her education and fiancé. In fact, when he joins her in Spain, they wind up getting married earlier than planned. She never stops thinking about Juan.

At the end of the movie, Cristina has returned from France and Vicky winds up telling her everything that happened with Juan. Cristina is devastated that Vicky never voiced her feelings about Juan, especially given that fact that he didn’t turn out to be “the one” for her, she would have gladly stepped aside for her. Their friendship remains in tact and they each return to their lives in the States. Vicky’s husband none the wiser about her adventures in Spain, Cristina still searching for what she wants, and Vicky continuing to be the “responsible” person.

To me the strongest character in the movie is Cristina. She fearless lives her life, not willing to settle for anything less. Vicky on the surface appears to be the stronger person, she is getting her education, is practical-minded, married, not easily swayed by anyone. In the end though, I believe she stayed with her husband because she was too afraid to go after what she really wanted, you can see at the end that she realizes she isn’t really in love with him. It was the safe, easy choice to make, but ultimately not what she wanted.

Everyday I strive to live my life without fear. To make choices that add life, excitement, spice and joy to this journey I’m on. People succumb to fears everyday; fear of the unknown, fear of not being accepted, fear of losing something or someone, fear of failing, fear of not being good enough, fear of peers not agreeing with your choices. The list goes on forever and I’m sure you have many more to add.

I personally, at the end of my life, want to look back and have a colossal belly laugh at my mistakes, not cry at my regrets. Live your life without fear; commit to your choices with fierceness, waste not your life with “what was not done.” Seriously, what’s the worst that can happen?