Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- sensual
- playful
- date night
- girls night
What critics said
Critics broadly found Penélope Cruz charming but considered the film too tepid as a romance and too implausible as a fantasy comedy, with an overly convenient resolution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Isabella leaves an unfaithful marriage, relocates to San Francisco, and builds a public career as a television chef.
Isabella's gifted cooking and television food presentation are central to her romantic and professional life.
The fantasy premise frames Isabella's relationship and renewed confidence through magical assistance.
Isabella moves from Brazil to San Francisco, where cultural displacement accompanies her independence and career change.
Films like Woman on Top, and why
Simply Irresistible
playful romantic comedy, female self-discovery, and heightened fantasy elements
Chocolat
female-led romance, culinary ambition, and breezy magical realism
Under the Tuscan Sun
fish-out-of-water romantic comedy centered on personal reinvention and cultural displacement
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
sensual romantic comedy with a charismatic woman navigating desire and independence
Movie Details
- Director
- Fina Torres
- Release Date
- 2000-09-22
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (258)
Cast
- Penélope Cruz
- Murilo Benício
- Mark Feuerstein
- John de Lancie
- Anne Ramsay
- Ana Gasteyer
- Harold Perrineau
- June Carryl
- Bob Greene
- Lázaro Ramos
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- 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 Woman on Top about?
- A gifted Brazilian chef escapes an unfaithful marriage and reinvents herself as a San Francisco television star while desire, magic, and unfinished love keep her past in reach.
- What is Woman on Top like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Woman on Top as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Woman on Top violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Woman on Top.
- What did critics think of Woman on Top?
- Critics broadly found Penélope Cruz charming but considered the film too tepid as a romance and too implausible as a fantasy comedy, with an overly convenient resolution.
- Which films are like Woman on Top?
- Films with a similar feel include Simply Irresistible, Chocolat, Under the Tuscan Sun, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.
- How long is Woman on Top?
- Woman on Top runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Woman on Top?
- In United States, Woman on Top streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
