Overview
A stuffy salesman in Barcelona finds his life turned upside down by his adventurous cousin's arrival.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sardonic
- romantic
- film club night
- date night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film witty and stylish, praising its acerbic dialogue and cultural observations while noting a less assured dramatic third act.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ted and Fred's exchanges are dominated by literary allusions, sarcasm, and pointed observations about social behavior.
American cousins working and serving in Barcelona navigate Spanish social life, politics, and romantic expectations.
The cousins' courtships unfold alongside Cold War tensions and disagreements about American identity and foreign policy.
Ted, Fred, Montserrat, Marta, and their acquaintances interpret the same expatriate encounters through contrasting national and personal perspectives.
Films like Barcelona, and why
Metropolitan
witty comedy of manners, articulate privileged characters, and romantic entanglements
The Last Days of Disco
Whit Stillman's dialogue-driven social comedy and focus on young adults navigating romance and status
A Room with a View
intellectual romantic comedy built around expatriate social circles and cultural misunderstandings
L'Auberge Espagnole
dry observational humor, romantic complications, and fish-out-of-water expatriate experience
Movie Details
- Director
- Whit Stillman
- Release Date
- 1994-07-29
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (91)
Cast
- Taylor Nichols
- Chris Eigeman
- Tushka Bergen
- Mira Sorvino
- Pep Munné
- Hellena Taylor
- Núria Badia
- Jack Gilpin
- Thomas Gibson
- Pere Ponce
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Barcelona about?
- Two very different American cousins collide with Barcelona’s romance, politics, and social codes in a sharply observant comedy of manners.
- What is Barcelona like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Barcelona as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Barcelona violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Barcelona.
- What did critics think of Barcelona?
- Critics broadly found the film witty and stylish, praising its acerbic dialogue and cultural observations while noting a less assured dramatic third act.
- Which films are like Barcelona?
- Films with a similar feel include Metropolitan, The Last Days of Disco, A Room with a View, and L'Auberge Espagnole.
- How long is Barcelona?
- Barcelona runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Barcelona?
- In United States, Barcelona is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
