Head in the Clouds (2004)

Head in the Clouds: Directed by John Duigan. With Charlize Theron, Penélope Cruz, Stuart Townsend, Thomas Kretschmann. From the roaring 1920s to the ruinous Spanish Civil War and Adolf Hitler’s rise into power, the lives of an Irish schoolteacher, a provocative heiress and her Spanish muse are intricately interlaced, sharing the same destiny and passion.

“u0026quot;Head in the Cloudsu0026quot;, set in Paris (circa 1920u0026#39;s-1940u0026#39;s), is all about a trio of three characters; two women and one man. The centerpiece of the trio and the film is Theron as an independent, capricious, liberal and free spirited women who is in love with both her male and female part-time companions (Townsend u0026amp; Cruz) who, in turn, both love her. The film follows the ebb and flow of the triou0026#39;s relationships from their good times before the Spanish civil war through their bad times during WWII. An attempt at a sort of romantic epic, u0026quot;Head in the Cloudsu0026quot; is wrought with staginess, corny dialogue, charming artificiality, and glorified melodrama. Not well received by the critics, this obvious film seems to be trying too hard while never quite ringing true. Should be an okay watch for romantics and sentimentalists. (B-)”