Pedro Almodóvar, one of Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers, makes his English-language debut with The Room Next Door, recently screened at the Rio 2024 Film Festival. This work, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, not only celebrates the director’s linguistic journey, but also consolidates his unparalleled ability to deliver emotionally rich and visually captivating narratives.
Inspired by the book What You’re Up against, by Sigrid Nunez, the film tells the story of Ingrid (played by Julianne Moore), a renowned writer who discovers that her former colleague, Martha (played by Tilda Swinton), is battling incurable cancer. After reuniting with Martha in the hospital and realizing her loneliness, Ingrid accepts an unusual invitation to join her in an isolated house in Woodstock. The two try to find peace while facing timeless ethical and emotional dilemmas.
Almodóvar, even when filming in a language different from his usual one, maintains his signature style. The Room Next Door maintains beautiful geometric frames, vibrant colors always composed of bright yellows and reds, and an emotional depth that are the director’s trademarks. The film uses visual beauty to contrast heavy themes such as terminal illness and loss, offering a rich visual and psychological experience. However, discussing euthanasia and finitude within these bonds does not seem to be the director’s main focus, who prefers to explore the complexity and complicity of human relationships.
The script, although not revolutionary in terms of narrative innovation, surprises by intertwining comic dialogues with such dense themes. Almodóvar once again demonstrates his ability to find lightness and even laughter in moments that could be overwhelmingly dark. This touch of humor not only alleviates the intensity of the film, but also humanizes the characters, making them more accessible and real.
Tilda Swinton delivers an unparalleled performance. Her portrayal of Martha, both physically weakened and psychologically complex, is fascinating. Swinton navigates between serenity and impatience, illustrating in a credible way the emotional swings that those who face serious illnesses and the consequences of treatments, even when palliative, go through. Furthermore, her ability to insert comic timing at unexpected moments is a demonstration of her multifaceted talent.
Julianne Moore, in turn, faces an even greater challenge as Ingrid, a character who must balance empathy and strength in the face of her friend’s suffering. Moore charms and moves with her depth and vulnerability, delivering a performance that wins the viewer’s empathy.
Eduard Grau, in his first collaboration with Almodóvar, captures the visual essence of the director, offering a cinematography that is at once familiar and invigorating. The soundtrack, once again by regular collaborator Alberto Iglesias, complements the narrative with emotionally charged musicality, further enriching the audience’s experience. There are moments in the soundtrack that the viewer will feel like they are in a Hitchcockian thriller and at others in a Woody Allenian New York plot.
The Room Next Door is not only Pedro Almodóvar’s landmark English-language debut, but a work that reaffirms his unmistakable talent for exploring human drama through a lens of compassion, humor, and sensitivity. The narrative, while remaining familiar to the director, is heightened by the captivating performances of Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.
Almodóvar manages to multiply the complicity between his characters without falling into the trap of uplifting speeches, creating an experience that is, at the same time, delicate and powerful. By redirecting his gaze to new lands, the director proves that his talent transcends languages, and that the heart of his stories beats strongly through the complexity of his characters, no matter the language in which they are told. The Room Next Door opens in Brazilian theaters on October 24 and will be shown at the 48th São Paulo International Film Festival from October 17 to 30.
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