I'm So Excited

Pedro Almodóvar has always done films that are outside of the box but his latest comedy, I’m So Excited, is perhaps the furthest he’s ever been. It’s a quirky film with a broad sense of comedy that doesn’t know the direction it’s heading in.

Stuck on a plane with malfunctioning landing gear, a group of first class passengers and three stewards pass the time as best they can with drugs, alcohol, a song and dance number, and even an orgy at one point. Apparently the Mile High Club has never been more popular. They all also manage to take some time to contact their loved ones on the ground to inform them of the delays or to make any final remarks in case they crash and burn upon impact. It’s good to know they have their priorities straight.

I’m So Excited throws audiences into this story without any real indication of what’s happening. Almodóvar expects you to just sit back and take everything that happens at face value and not expect any sort of explanation as to the how or why. I felt lost for the first half hour of the film wondering who these people were and their relationship to one another. Sometimes that wouldn’t be explained until 20 minutes later and by that time you have forgotten why you were confused in the first place. There are moments in the film that feel like you’re joining mid-dialogue, such as when pilots Benito and Alex are arguing about their relationship or when Ricardo calls his lost love from the plane trying to get back together. They don’t make much sense at first, but situations are explained bit by bit as the film goes on.

Convoluted story aside, there are some genuinely funny moments. The stewards Ulloa, Fajardo, and Joserra are good for a laugh most of the time and the obscure nature of the film can throw you for a loop every once in a while. Once in a while isn’t enough, though, and you can only laugh so many times before the plot wears thin. In the end, I’m So Excited isn’t all that exciting. It has a few shining moments, but nothing memorable.