WOMAN ON TOP is one of those films that was made, publicized and viewed as pastiche and because of its honesty as a simple romantic comedy, it rates higher than many of the over the top and overproduced competitors. The film is colorful, filled with wonderful Bossa Nova music, and has enough eye candy to almost make you forget the main dishes! Isabella Oliveira (Penélope Cruz) lives in Bahia, Brazil totally in love with Toninho Oliveira (Murilo Benício) where the two have a restaurant featuring Isabella's passionate cooking and Toninho's macho front man role. Isabella has a problem: motion sickness - she cannot fly, ride in a car, or assume the bottom position during sex or she becomes violently ill (it seems that the sea goddess compensated her problem by making her an inimitable chef). All is well until Toninho has a brief affair that drives the crushed Isabella to move to San Francisco alone despite her love for Toninho. There she moves in with her old friend Monica from Bahia (Harold Perrineau as a superbly enacted crossed dressed drag queen) and begins her unsuccessful search for a job. In order to overcome her longing for Toninho and regain her culinary skills she makes a pact with the sea goddess, forsaking ever loving Toninho again. Eventually Isabella lands a TV show on Passionate Cooking when desperate producer Cliff (Mark Feuerstein) gets a whiff of her talent. She is an immediate success. Meanwhile Toninho, unable to endure life in Bahia without Isabella, flies to San Francisco and begins a series of Bossa Nova serenades to win her back. Cliff places Toninho on Isabella's show as background music and the ratings soar. But it is the ultimately the conflict resolution between Isabella and Toninho that brings the story to its expected end.

The story may be light and the script may be pedestrian, but the direction and camera work suffuse this film with Latin American magical realism and that keeps it lighthearted and fun. Cruz is terrific, Perrineau is the true star of the show displaying a sophisticated and sensitive acting skill that is very special, and Murilo Benício is not only a hunk and eye candy but also a fine singer and a warm actor who deserves a lot of attention. Story five, stars six. Have fun with this one! Grady Harp, March 06

Woman on Top is an underrated flick, and it's comfort food when enduring a flight where the cabin crew just can't meet passenger needs. Anyway, Penelope Cruz shines in Woman on Top that's for sure. Mark Feuerstein also adds credibility in his role as a TV producer. I wish there was a reboot or a TV series called Women on Top or something like that, and it can star accliamed British actor Danny Dyer as the producer.

Who could ever get tired of Penélope Cruz? No matter what she does, she is fantastic. Seeing her in this early film before she went all Hollywood, is pure pleasure.

She has the energy, the charm, the passion that is Penélope Cruz, and she makes eating seem like the most fantastic thing on Earth.

She splits from her husband (Murilo Benício) and heads to San Francisco to take up residence with her best friend Monica (Harold Perrineau). She gets a TV gig after being seen by a producer (Mark Feuerstein).

Now, her husband has found her and works to get her back. Of course, the producer is also after her, and Monica is working both men to improve them and make them worthy.

With a stirring soundtrack featuring the music of Toquinho, Paulinho Mosca, Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra, and more.