Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a sophisticated romantic comedy from Woody Allen that explores the mysteries of love. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz, the cast is especially good and delivers strong performances. The story follows two American tourists staying in Barcelona for the summer as they become infatuated with an artist whose freethinking ways challenges their concepts about love and romance. Allen’s directing is excellent, especially in how it captures the beauty of the scenery and how intimate it is with the characters. However, while the film tries to be insightful, the plot ultimately goes nowhere and doesn’t progress anything. A well-crafted and inspired film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is intriguing and provocative, but it doesn’t quite have its message worked out.