---
title: "Broken Embraces"
year: 2009
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/broken-embraces"
fi1m_id: "broken-embraces"
imdb_id: "tt0913425"
tmdb_id: 8088
wikidata_id: "Q192022"
fi1m_score: 66
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 18
published: "2026-10-01T20:41:04.350766+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-01T20:41:04.757584+00:00"
region: "DE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Broken Embraces (2009)

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar · 2h 07m · FSK 12 · Drama, Romance, Thriller

## Identity

Broken Embraces

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/broken-embraces
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** broken-embraces
- **IMDb ID:** tt0913425
- **TMDB ID:** 8088
- **Wikidata ID:** Q192022
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0913425/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/8088, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192022

**Fi1m score: 66** · Critics 67 from 18 reviews

*In a sentence:* Almodóvar makes a film about loving films, and casts Penélope Cruz in a drawer of wigs as the evidence

> Pedro Almodóvar’s noir about a blind screenwriter and the woman he lost is immaculately made and oddly cool to the touch. The colours and Penélope Cruz hold the eye; the heart is harder to find under so much plot.

## Synopsis

Madrid, 2008. Harry Caine (Lluís Homar), a blind screenwriter who used to direct films under his real name, Mateo Blanco, lives on his wits and the help of his agent Judit García (Blanca Portillo) and her son Diego (Tamar Novas). When the newspapers report the death of the financier Ernesto Martel (José Luis Gómez), a young film-maker calling himself Ray X (Rubén Ochandiano) turns up with a script about a son taking revenge on his father. Harry begins to tell Diego what happened in the early 1990s, when Martel’s secretary and mistress Lena (Penélope Cruz) wanted to act, Mateo cast her in his comedy *Girls and Suitcases*, Martel paid for the film in order to watch her, and his son filmed every day of the shoot.

## Review

Pedro Almodóvar’s *Broken Embraces* is told by a man who cannot see. Harry Caine (Lluís Homar) is a blind screenwriter in Madrid, looked after by his agent Judit García (Blanca Portillo) and her son Diego (Tamar Novas). When the papers report the death of a financier called Ernesto Martel, the past rings his doorbell in the shape of a young director calling himself Ray X (Rubén Ochandiano). What follows is a thriller about jealousy, a melodrama about an affair and a comedy about making a comedy, each built with care. It is cool to the touch, it means to be, and that is where our reservations start.

The story Harry tells, from a chair beside Diego’s hospital bed, goes back to the early 1990s, when he was still Mateo Blanco and still directing. Lena (Penélope Cruz) is Martel’s secretary, then his mistress, and she wants to act. Mateo gives her the lead in *Girls and Suitcases*; Martel (José Luis Gómez) pays for the film so he can keep her in sight; Martel’s son follows the shoot with a video camera, making a documentary nobody asked for. The comedy itself is a near-copy of Almodóvar’s own [*Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown*](https://film.one/film/women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown) (1988), gazpacho and all, and Carmen Machi gets its best scene, a neighbour’s monologue she carries alone.

Rodrigo Prieto lights the present in greys and pale daylight and the past in saturated colour, so that every cut back to Lena is a cut to red: her lips, her dress, the sofa behind her. Sonia Grande runs Cruz through a screen test in wigs and frocks, Audrey Hepburn one moment and Marilyn Monroe the next, and Mateo falls for all of them. Antxón Gómez and Víctor Molero give Martel a large, hard, expensive house and Harry a flat lined with scripts he can no longer read. Alberto Iglesias writes a low string theme for the lovers and nervous plucked cues for the watching, and his is the one department that seems to know this is a tragedy. José Salcedo cuts between the decades on a line and a glance, and we were never lost.

Homar is the steady centre. As Harry he is dry, flirtatious and a little vain about his blindness; as Mateo he is a director who has stopped watching his film to watch his lead. Portillo says least and carries most. Gómez plays Martel as courtesy with a grip in it. The scene we cannot shake is his: Martel in a screening room with a lip reader (Lola Dueñas) beside him, having his son’s footage of Lena read back line by line, so he can learn what she says about him when she thinks he cannot hear. We were chilled by it, more than by anything the plot does later, because here is a man paying a professional to narrate his own humiliation, and listening with perfect manners.

Cruz is the problem, through no fault of hers. Lena is looked at from the first frame to the last, by Martel, by his son’s camera, by Mateo, by Prieto, and looking is not the same as knowing. She is given little to want beyond a part and a way out, and the film is more interested in her sunglasses than in either. In [*Volver*](https://film.one/film/volver) (2006) Almodóvar gave her a kitchen, a daughter and a secret, and she was alive in every scene. Here she is photographed, over and over, and photographed well.

The second half takes a turn we will not describe. What we can say is that once the plot has collected its pieces, Almodóvar lays them out one at a time, and the last half hour is mostly explanation. Every photograph, every reel of footage and every lie turns out to have its reason, and he is thorough about it in a way that costs him feeling. We admired the tidiness and felt our attention loosen.

Set beside [*All About My Mother*](https://film.one/film/all-about-my-mother) (1999) and *Volver*, this is the minor work, the one where the director’s love of film has crowded out his love of the people in it. The reviews so far split down the middle, and we land in the middle with them.

See it for the colour, for Homar, for Machi’s monologue and for the lip reader. Watch it at home with the lights down, where the reds are richer and the plot has room to be slow, which suits it. It runs 127 minutes and carries a 15.

*Fi1m score 66, published 1 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Broken Embraces without quite loving it. Nine of the eighteen reviews are positive and one is negative, and the praise clusters in two places: Almodóvar’s visual style, with Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography and the fluid movement between past and present singled out, and Penélope Cruz, whose screen presence is admired even by reviewers who are cool on the film around her. Several also warm to its playful love of cinema and its references to the director’s earlier work.

The reservations are about feeling. Many find the film emotionally thin, its intricate plotting more clever than moving, and more than one reviewer calls it minor Almodóvar, best suited to his devoted fans. The spread is wide. The AV Club rates it A- and finds brokenhearted romanticism in it; The New Yorker finds it chilly and airless, fixated on Cruz posing, and Slant makes much the same complaint about her character being reduced to a beautiful image.

## Straight answers

**Is Broken Embraces worth watching?**

*Broken Embraces* is worth watching for admirers of Pedro Almodóvar who can forgive a cool head and a long explanatory last half hour, and we scored it 66. Rodrigo Prieto's reds, Lluís Homar as the blind screenwriter and one chilling scene with a lip reader are the reasons to stay; Penélope Cruz is photographed beautifully and given too little to want.

**How long is Broken Embraces, and what is it rated?**

*Broken Embraces* runs 2h 07m and is rated 12 by the FSK in Germany. It is a drama and romance film.

**Where can I watch Broken Embraces in Germany?**

*Broken Embraces* is available to rent from Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Broken Embraces, and is it suitable for children?**

*Broken Embraces* carries a 15 certificate and is not for children, though its unease comes from jealousy and watching rather than from violence. The film is a noir about an affair, a possessive financier and a secretly filmed shoot, so expect adult relationships and a sustained air of menace; the squeamish have little to fear beyond the plot's turns.

**How does Broken Embraces compare to Vertigo?**

*Broken Embraces* and [*Vertigo*](https://film.one/film/vertigo) are both films about a man remaking a woman into an image, and Hitchcock's is the better and the more painful of the two. Almodóvar's film has richer colour and a lighter, comic strand, but it explains itself where *Vertigo* lets its fascination sit uncomfortably; choose Almodóvar for style and Hitchcock for feeling.

**What should I watch after Broken Embraces?**

After *Broken Embraces*, try [*Vertigo*](https://film.one/film/vertigo) (1958, Fi1m 92): A man remakes a woman into an image; the original study in watching. Then [*Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown*](https://film.one/film/women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown) (1988, Fi1m 84): The comedy this film keeps quoting, with the gazpacho played for laughs; and [*In the Mood for Love*](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love) (2000, Fi1m 91): Red dresses, a love affair and more feeling in a corridor than most films manage.

### Reviews we read (18)

- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (A-): Phipps finds the film a studied, stylish piece of filmmaking animated by brokenhearted romanticism. He praises its blend of Douglas Sirk melodrama and Hitchcockian unease, especially in Penélope Cruz’s performance. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/broken-embraces-1798207494)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (80/100, inferred): Sharkey gives the film a warmly positive review, admiring its intricate, playful storytelling. She particularly praises Penélope Cruz’s versatility and Lluís Homar’s performance. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-11-la-et-broken11-2009dec11-story.html)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film seductive, intelligent and engrossing, despite its fleeting pleasures. He particularly praises its vivid visual style and fluid movement between past and present. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/aug/27/broken-embraces-review)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (4/5): The 4/5 rating indicates a positive verdict. The available description praises the charming eccentricity of Almodóvar’s English-language film titles. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/broken-embraces-2)
- **Empire**, Kim Newman (75/100, inferred): Newman finds the film gorgeous and seductive, though somewhat overlong and best suited to Almodóvar fans. He praises Cruz’s dazzling, distinctive screen presence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/broken-embraces-review/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Omar Moore (75/100, inferred): The headline presents the film as a passionate celebration of cinema. The accessible page provides no further detail about the critic’s verdict or specific praise. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/far-flung-correspondents/almodovars-passionate-celebration-of-cinema-omar-moore-on-broken-embraces)
- **Variety**, Jonathan Holland (65/100, inferred): Holland finds the film restless and enjoyable, but says its love story never fully catches fire. He praises its visual richness, fluid editing and witty dialogue, while noting that its emotional center is elusive. [Read](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/broken-embraces-1200474138/)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (64/100, inferred): The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be established. The available page content does not provide enough information to summarize the review. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/movies/11movies.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Sophie Ivan (4/3/3): Ivan finds the film visually and stylistically impressive but emotionally hollow, with its cleverness fading quickly. She praises how smoothly the intricate construction holds together, while faulting Cruz’s role for offering little emotional depth. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/broken-embraces)
- **Total Film**, Kevin Harley (3/5): Harley finds plenty to enjoy but says the film lacks emotional heft and relies on familiar grooves. He praises Almodóvar’s sensual visual style and highlights Penélope Cruz’s performance. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/broken-embraces-review/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (2/4): Schager finds the film visually gorgeous but emotionally thin and overly reliant on familiar themes. He praises Penélope Cruz’s commanding screen presence, while criticizing the film for reducing her character to a beautiful, inscrutable image. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/broken-embraces/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Kirk Honeycutt (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film engrossing but minor, more a plotting and movie-nostalgia exercise than a story about real people. He praises the lead performances and Rodrigo Prieto’s exquisite cinematography, especially the close-ups of Penélope Cruz. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/broken-embraces-film-review-93192/)
- **Evening Standard** (48/100, inferred): The critic finds the film skillfully made but not a new masterwork, likely to appeal more to Almodóvar’s devoted fans. They praise its fluid storytelling and visual polish, while faulting its reliance on the director’s earlier work and influences. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/broken-embraces-puts-loyalty-to-the-test-7415782.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (35/100, inferred): Lane finds the film visually intelligent but emotionally chilly, with its intricate plotting failing to stir the heart. He praises the vivid imagery and Cruz’s screen presence, while faulting the film’s fixation on her posing and its airless contrivances. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/11/23/only-make-believe)
- **Eye for Film**, Andrew Robertson (85/100, inferred): Robertson calls it an excellent, entertaining work and a strong introduction to Almodóvar’s films. He praises its dense, dazzling storytelling and the haunting visual passion, while noting that some comedy and wordplay do not translate well. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/broken-embraces-film-review-by-andrew-robertson)
- **Paste**, Eric Calderwood (75/100, inferred): The critic presents the film as a compelling, self-reflective work about making sense of life through movies. They single out its haunting score, rich colors, and playful references to Almodóvar’s earlier films for praise. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/pedro-almodovar/broken-embraces-los-abrazos-rotos)
- **Collider**, Andre Dellamorte (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a light, minor work that nonetheless rises above its limitations through Almodóvar’s skill. He praises its craft, performances, and playful love of cinema. [Read](https://collider.com/broken-embraces-blu-ray-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an artful, entertaining noir, though its plot tangles and emotional distance keep it from fully succeeding. Penélope Cruz’s enigmatic performance and Almodóvar’s balance of noir grit with melodrama stand out for praise. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a172975/broken-embraces/)

## Details

- **Director:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Director:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Writer:** Pedro Almodóvar
- **Cinematography:** Rodrigo Prieto
- **Editor:** José Salcedo
- **Music:** Alberto Iglesias
- **Production design:** Antxón Gómez, Víctor Molero
- **Costume design:** Sonia Grande
- **Producer:** Esther García, Agustín Almodóvar
- **Cast:** Penélope Cruz as Lena; Lluís Homar as Mateo Blanco / Harry Caine; Blanca Portillo as Judit García; José Luis Gómez as Ernesto Martel; Rubén Ochandiano as Ray X; Tamar Novas as Diego; Ángela Molina as Lena's Mother; Chus Lampreave as Concierge
- **Runtime:** 2h 07m
- **Certificate (FSK):** 12
- **Release (Germany):** 6 August 2009
- **Genres:** Drama, Romance, Thriller
- **Budget:** $18 million
- **Box office:** $31 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN0SlBE8yGQ

## Where to watch in Germany

- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy €7.99, sd

*Checked 2026-10-01.*

Also available in: AT, AU, CA, CH, DE, ES, GB, NL, NZ, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- European Film Award for Best Actress 2009: European Film Award for Best Actress (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Composer 2009: European Film Award for Best Composer (won)
- European Film Award for Best Director 2009: European Film Award for Best Director (nominated)
- European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film 2009: European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Vertigo* (1958), Fi1m 92: A man remakes a woman into an image; the original study in watching. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/vertigo.md)
- *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988), Fi1m 84: The comedy this film keeps quoting, with the gazpacho played for laughs. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown.md)
- *Peeping Tom* (1960): The camera as weapon, decades before anyone owned a camcorder.
- *Day for Night* (1973): Truffaut’s film about a film shoot, where the people matter more than the plot.
- *In the Mood for Love* (2000), Fi1m 91: Red dresses, a love affair and more feeling in a corridor than most films manage. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/broken-embraces