A man never stops loving one woman for five decades, although he shows his undying loyalty to his unrequited love by bedding 600 others in her stead. During those same five decades, the object of his desire weds a distinguished doctor noted for taking care of cholera patients. She has one, maybe two – or it could be three or four – children, but never achieves happiness in life. After dozens of years she figures out she might have been better off with the young man whose proposal she accepted and then rejected. The end. Stretch that story over two hours and 15 minutes and you’ve got the clunky, confusing yet sporadically entertaining Love in the Time of Cholera.
The Cast
Javier Bardem stars as Florentino, the man whose unfailing love leaves him in emotional turmoil as well as feeling physically ill at times. Falling in love with Fermina (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) the instant he sets eyes on her, Florentino spends his entire adult life mooning over the woman who spurned his advances. As the lovesick Florentino, Bardem’s expressive face suits his character’s forlorn demeanor. Bardem brings the film to life in fits and starts as he wiles away the years by filling his bed – and diary – with a succession of intriguing women of various ages, attractiveness, and social classes with whom he connects but never loves.
Benjamin Bratt completes the love triangle as the handsome Dr. Juvenal Urbino. Much is made of his reputation with cholera patients, however not much to do with the disease is included in the film. Bratt’s not given much to work with as his character is nothing more than a caricature of a snappily dressed, successful doctor. Who he really is, how he came to be so passionate about his work, or why he so suddenly and inexplicably fell for Fermina is never spelled out, and Bratt doesn’t exactly take the little we know about this good doctor and run with it.
The Bottom Line
Because we’re shown a glimpse of the story’s final act in the films first few minutes, there’s nothing to look forward to and wonder about as the plot moves sluggishly forward. There's also a problem with continuity in that Fermina and the good doctor are shown as the proud parents of a newborn. Said child then disappears for the length of the film, only to reappear - along with a batch of siblings - toward the end of the movie.
Love in the Time of Cholera is much more of a comedy than you’d assume from the synopsis, however a lot of the humor comes from very uncomfortable situations (I have a problem laughing at a man forced into sex, even if it's shown later he enjoyed the experience). The film changes tone often and there’s no cohesiveness to the story. Ultimately, Love in the Time of Cholera is a romantic film without any real heart.
GRADE: C-
