Woman on Top [VHS]

It was cute, but here again I rented it twice without realizing I had seen it before. Narrator voice-over fit the feather-light plot. Good cinematography. Woman (Cruz) can't stand not being in charge, but her cooking is miraculous. She goes to San Francisco where she is put on a TV show and glamorized. This turns out badly. There is a sub-plot about sacrifices to a sea god, but all comes out well in the end.

Poor writing and ends with a terrible decision as if everything is normal. Really bad message for women. Not a movie I would want my daughters to watch.

Woman on Top follows Isabella (Penelope Cruz) as she goes out on her own in the big city, and in a whole new country. After a relationship gone sour, Isabella heads to the USA to start over. While there she gets discovered and becomes a big hit on a new cooking show. I thought this movie was okay. It's worth a watch if you're into the romantic comedy/romantic drama genre.

One of my favorite movies. As a chef it touches me deeper. And ny love of Brazil, and the music. Food. Tout.

Great movie.. simple system. Wish it was free on prime. You charge for too many movies that should be free.

I enjoy the sexy moves from Brazil, its people and its music, as this movie clearly is a celebration of all of them ! great story with great actors, sexy Penelope Cruz is marvelous and the music is so sensual as expected from Brazilian music (I also bought the soundtrack!) I recommend this movie and the soundtrack as they are a gem for our hearts and souls ! Enjoy!

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.

This is a WONDERFUL movie with sensuous music, food, and locations. If you think there isn't a connection between passion and food, you've never had a truly spectacular meal cooked for you by someone you love (or cooked one for someone you love....) Penelope Cruz is fabulous in this movie - conveying the pain and anguish caused by her husband... (I don't want to give it away...) I think it is much more light hearted sensuous enjoyment than some of the other "food movies". The cast is tremendously enjoyable, and if you are a fan of latin music, the sountrack for this film is luminous!!!!!

As a film, it's flimsy with characters/situations introduced that make you think you must've fallen asleep once or twice and missed bits. But, as a slight but charming romantic comedy vehicle for the beautiful and beguiling Ms Cruz it's wonderful. I know that my 'admiration' for the star has completely hijacked what would've been a critical mauling if it'd starred a lesser goddess, but that's just how shallow I am.

Isabella [Penelope Cruz] suffers chronic motion sickness which stunts her life so the stay at home girl throws all her passion into cooking. Skip forward and the little girl grows up, falls for a local small restaurant owner Toninho Oliveira (Murilo Benecio) where she wows the customers with her spicey and delicious original meals. They marry and are ecstatically happy at first, but in order to overcome her motion sickness, she has to take the lead –dancing,sex, everything. It’s too much for hubby and he cheats on her so she takes off and heads for the USA. [and your still barely 5 minutes in]. Cutting to the chase, she becomes a smash sensation, hubby remains at home and upsets the local god of the sea which upsets the locals, he sees her on telly and heads after her but a TV producer also has his sights on her. At the root of the film is the role reversal of characters, with Isabella literally taking the driving seat [and the traditional male role] while hubby takes a back seat. That’s not the only role change, Harrold Perrineau, Jr is great as Monica, Isabella’s cross-dressing drag queen friend. The film has some atmospheric music, is full of symbolism [the domineering husband who stands on her job offers that have been dropped on the floor] and has some corny but fun lines [Guy 1: That much butter can kill a guy, Guy 2: that much woman can kill a guy] but that’s much of the films appeal, that corny over the top humour. The plot and script are obvious but it is that simplicity that makes it fun viewing, but there are no belly laughs, just good humour and situation comedy.The disc has no real extras other than about 5 trailers for it. This could quite easily have been a film for all the family, but there is some swearing, and if you don’t like a boy ‘in a dress’ then the film could be an issue for some, also some adult themes and running gags might cause offence depending on who you are watching with hence a 15 rating. As a 15 rating it is definitely worthy of ****.

As a visual spectacle this is a gorgeous movie and the music played throughout it is lively,soft and romantic.The humour is light-heartedand the story being told is easy to follow.The producers of the film did such a good job making the food look tasty and in presenting the chef,Penelope Cruz, as the main dish that the viewer is left in no doubt that if Cruz started a cookery programme on tv in real life a lot of people would watch it!However for me Woman On Top lacked in its abilityto make me care about what was happening to the characters being portrayed and so I can only give it three stars.

I have got DVD in very good condition. Thanks

Saw this film years ago but have only just got round to buying it. My teenage children also enjoyed it, in fact my son sat with a grin on his face almost all the way through. A film parents and teenagers can watch together if you're looking for something romantic without blatent sex, great scenery in more ways than one and comedy as well:> Makes a pleasant change from all the violent films teens seem to want to watch these days - I really do sound ancient!!!