Woman on Top 1999, Rated R 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

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Starring Penelope Cruz, et al. Released to DVD on February 13, 2001.

With as suggestive a title as Woman on Top and a lead as smoldering as Penelope Cruz, there are going to be a lot of disappointed teenagers who rent this film and then learn that this is a warm romantic comedy about, get this, cooking. Spanish sensation Cruz (Twice Upon a Yesterday) stars here as Brazilian Isabella Oliveira, the woman on top. Due to a rare and severe case of motion sickness, Isabella is unable to do a lot of activities that you or I might take for granted; being able to ride in a car or plane, use an elevator or, hence the origin of the title, have sex in any position but that when she is on top. Upset at the latter fact, Isabella's husband Toninho (Murilo Benicio) cheats on her so that, for once, he will be able to be on top during love-making. Heart-broken when she finds out about her husband's escapade, Isabella leaves her Brazilian home and heads to live with a friend in San Francisco on a particularly vomit filled plane ride. From here the plot begins to spin faster and faster, with Isabella ultimately landing a prime TV gig teaching cooking to the masses. Woman on Top isn't a very serious or dramatic film, but then again, it's not supposed to be. Director Fina Torres knows exactly what he wants to accomplish and put Cruz and cast to work to achieve that. The end result is an engaging if somewhat silly romantic comedy. Consider this Cruz's big American debut.