Barcelona (1994)

81% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(3,461 ratings)

The second film from writer/director Whit Stillman, Barcelona is a smart, urbane comedy of manners set in Spain at the tail end of the Cold War. Taylor Nichols stars as Ted, an American salesman living in Barcelona. Out of the blue, he is visited by his acidic cousin Fred (Chris Eigeman), a U.S.… More The second film from writer/director Whit Stillman, Barcelona is a smart, urbane comedy of manners set in Spain at the tail end of the Cold War. Taylor Nichols stars as Ted, an American salesman living in Barcelona. Out of the blue, he is visited by his acidic cousin Fred (Chris Eigeman), a U.S. Navy officer sent abroad to work damage control on rising anti-American sentiment. The textbook "Ugly American," Fred travels through the city in full military regalia, impervious to the constant taunts of "Fascist!" Like the similarly self-absorbed Ted, who has become involved with political activist Monsterrat (Tushka Bergen), Fred also finds romance, with a party girl played by Mira Sorvino. A brittle fish-out-of-water comedy, Barcelona is literate and sophisticated, a knowing essay on cultural identity and perception. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Whit Stillman
Written By: Whit Stillman
Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 29, 1994 Wide
On DVD: Apr 2, 2002
Studio: Turner Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Richard Brody, New Yorker
An exquisitely composed yet fiercely combative satire (set in the eighties) of European mores as seen through the eyes of two young exemplars of the American establishment.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
This is fairly amusing stuff-brittle, fresh, and impudent - if you can stomach all the upscale arrogance.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
Slyly hilarious, esthetically sound and spiritually restorative.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
A remarkable find: The film doesn't stop at getting your attention, it rewards it.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It appears at first to be about the casual lives of young men trying to launch their careers, but eventually ... it reveals darker depths and meanings.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
This film is the distillation of an intriguing blend of romantic comedy, satire, drama, and philosophy.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
Oozes affection for its subjects, and that carries it through even the weaker character moments and the more jarring shifts of narrative and tone.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The unsympathetic characters and their slight adventure story was never compelling.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Darker and more acidic than Stillman's previous outing, this comedy, about two Americans at the end of the Cold War, could be described as Metropolitan meets Where the Boys Are meets The Year of Living Dangerously.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Steven C

Whit Stillman is like Woody Allen; if Woody Allen refused to make a film a year and really concentrated on saying something new with each film his makes. Don't get me wrong, I love Woody Allen but Whit Stillman has a handle over his craft that Allen can't seem to pin down.… More
Whit Stillman is like Woody Allen; if Woody Allen refused to make a film a year and really concentrated on saying something new with each film his makes. Don't get me wrong, I love Woody Allen but Whit Stillman has a handle over his craft that Allen can't seem to pin down. Stillman, like Allen, is all about social observation- delivering insights (and humor) into society through dialogue and situations "Barcelona" is a much larger step up from "Metropolitan" in terms of style, mood and execution. The film is darker and more confident. This helps the subtext remain pointed and mature and not as overly readable like in his previous feature. Stillman has this easy way of enveloping you into his films and "Barcelona" is a lovely yet acidic look into international social relations.
Juli R

A dialogue-driven story about two Americans in Barcelona.