Woman on Top

In Brazil, Isabella (Penélope Cruz) suffered from motion sickness all her life. The sea goddess Yemanja compensated her with a passion for cooking. She falls for Toninho Oliveira and they get married. She dutifully worked in his restaurant despite the many admirers trying to lure her away. She finds staying in control by being on top would keep the motion sickness away. She catches Toninho with another woman and run off to San Francisco. She stays with her friend Monica Jones (Harold Perrineau) and TV producer Cliff Lloyd (Mark Feuerstein) falls head over heels for her. Her cooking literally knocks him off his feet. Her cooking show starts taking off and then Toninho shows up.

Cruz is incredibly lovely. She is luminescent. Neither guy measures up. Toninho is a womanizing Latino stereotype. Feuerstein is not a good leading man. Cliff has a bit of weasel and he's not worthy of her. The ending is horrible. Cruz simply glows and her character deserves better.