Penelope Cruz, Murilo Benício, Mark Feuerstein

Woman on Top pretends to be your standard fish-out-of-water romantic comedy laced with touches of magic realism. When you break it down and look at its elements, however, it turns out to be d...( read more  read more... )ifferent than most, which is good. Hot Spanish star Penélope Cruz (All About My Mother) plays Isabella Oliveira, a Brazilian chef who falls madly in love with, and marries, a dashing waiter (Murilo Benício). Throughout her life she's been a victim of motion sickness, and the only way she can overcome it is by being in control, whether it's driving or being on top during sex. Her husband starts to feel that as a threat to his Latin masculinity, and when he steps out on her, she catches him. She decides to leave Brazil and stop loving him, ending up in San Francisco with an old friend (Harold Perrineau Jr.), now a drag queen. There she meets a nice guy-television producer (Mark Feuerstein), who sets her up with her own cooking show. Normally in this kind of movie his character would be the perfect antidote for her heartbreak, but he ends up more seduced by the success of her cooking show than by her. When her husband shows up, she becomes trapped in a love triangle where both men are deeply flawed. Can she forgive her husband's infidelity and fall back in love with him? Forget the answer. The fact that the question is being asked separates Woman on Top from the other broad, romantic comedies that share its tone. Plus it's chock-full of seductive Brazilian music. --Andy Spletzer

Flixster Users

46% liked it

6,970 ratings

Critics

35% liked it

93 critics

R, 1 hr. 25 min.

Directed by: Fina Torres

Release Date: September 22, 2000

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DVD Release Date: December 18, 2001

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Flixster Reviews (363)


  • September 24, 2008
    It was alright.
  • April 13, 2008
    My husband enjoyed watching the beautiful Penelope Cruz but the movie was nothing but fluff
  • February 26, 2009
    FUCK!!!! Damn stupid film! It was going brilliantly: Penelope falls in love with Mr. handsome, slick and smooth, he treats her like crap, so she leaves and then thanks to a nifty witchcraft subplot has her love for him taken away. She goes to America where she's a success - getti...( read more)ng her own cooking show, but husband follows and tries everything to get her back. Meanwhile she meets another guy who's genuinely decent and infinitely more likeable, but instead of bringing out "the passion" in him (this movie is all about "passion"), she undoes the spell and goes back to her ex!! Sure, to start with he lets her go on top, and doesn't shove her away in the kitchen anymore, but he never really changes and you don't believe that within a few weeks he won't be cheating on her again. All through the film I found myself wishing he would get hit by a tram (this being set in San Francisco), but no. Penelope Cruz is good in this and it does feel a tad biographical: woman goes to America to make the most of her talents but everyone just wants to see her breasts.

    In my head I'm going to imagine that she didn't go back with the greasy latin crooner, but as that's only in my head this film only deserves two stars.
  • May 9, 2008
    Sooo, Penelope plays a very bad, very stereotypical Brazilian. So the movie is cheesy and very very predictable. But you know what? Penelope is so hot in this, I'll just give it 3 stars for that. Yeah, I am that gay, I suppose. ;-)
  • December 25, 2007
    Great!
  • September 14, 2009
    Not very funny, not very cute, not extremely entertaining. Guess I just didn't get it.
  • July 24, 2009
    cruz looks incredibily great!
    the story is funny but i like the second guy,not the one cruz end up with in the film
  • July 15, 2009
    PENELOPE CRUZ IS WONDERFUL IN THIS FILM. I CAN EVEN RELATE TO HER CHARACTER. A MUST SEE!
  • July 7, 2009
    strange. kind of weird. but it was alright.
  • June 8, 2009
    Excellent flick. This was my first movie with Penelope Cruz and I must admit, it was a beauty. Already seen it for two or three times. It really worth it! ;)

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Cruz is bewitching all through the movie, but her beauty and charm have to pull a heavy train of cliches and inevitable developments. full review

January 1, 2000
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Instead of hot, you get barely lukewarm -- a tepid and oily 'Calgon, take me away!' bath that seems to be aimed at women who don't get out very much. full review

January 1, 2000
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Tries too hard to be playful and sensual, wacky and romantic, and comes away feeling fake and prefabricated instead.

View more Woman on Top reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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Woman on Top Trivia


  • What is Isabella occupation in Woman On Top ?  Answer »
  • What problem does Isabella have in Woman On Top ?  Answer »
  • After her husband cheats on her what does Isabella do in Woman On Top ?  Answer »
  • Who portrays Isabella Oliveira in Woman On Top ?  Answer »

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