| Bickering Beck: Woman on Top | |
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Woman on Top is the story of Brazilian Isabella (Penelope Cruz). Prone to motion sickness, Isabella must be in control of her movements at all times, including driving, dancing, and sex. A devout follower of Yemanja, goddess of the sea, Isabella falls instantly in love with the charming Toniho (Murilo Benicio) and moves directly from her parents' house to his. Toniho puts Isabella and her magical recipes to work in the kitchen of his restaurant while he entertains the guests with his crooning. Not long after, Toniho tires of Isabella always being in the driver's seat and on top. Isabella catches him cheating with a neighbor and flies, surrounded by barf bags, to San Francisco to stay with her lifelong friend and cross-dresser, Monica (Harold Perrineau Jr.).
In the course of a few days, Isabella is turned down by all the major restaurants, but gets a gig teaching part-time at the Culinary Institute. She also makes an offering to Yemanja so she will no longer be in love with Toniho. This offering transforms Isabella and causes one of the most ridiculous scenes in cinematic history. Plus, Isabella comes to the notice of a television producer, Jeff (Mark Feuerstein), who gives her a live cooking show and becomes an inept object of romantic interest. In the meantime, Toniho travels to San Francisco and hounds Isabella into taking him back, even landing in jail, which spurs another one of the most ridiculous scenes in cinematic history (Jailhouse Rock meets Jose Augusto, anyone?).
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Beck Finley is a freelance writer and critic. She lives on the Missouri side of Kansas City with her husband, Ryan Kegley, and dog, Tummy.
