Pedro Almodóvar is a Spanish director known for creating films in Spanish, like “All About My Mother” and “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” While his short films “The Human Voice” and “Strange Way of Life” were performed in English, “The Room Next Door" marks Almodovar's first feature-length film in the language. In an Almodóvar film, viewers can usually expect themes ranging from motherhood to trans identity, with a focus on the human condition.
Almodovar's filmmaking often tackles provocative subjects. His earlier films gained traction for depicting explicit queer sex scenes, trans characters and graphic violence. The plots of his films are often convoluted and bizarre. Even in later films, viewers could still expect the unexpected, with one scene in his 2002 film “Talk to Her” featuring a dream sequence and a giant, cartoonish vulva.
While most films directed by Almodóvar are zany and unpredictable, this film might be his most tame yet. Rather than depicting R or NC-17 rated content, he chooses to focus on PG-13 themes of mortality and friendship. The director drew minimal inspiration from a novel titled “What Are You Going Through,” then decided to make the story his own. His aim was to create a film about companionship in the face of death, without romance between the leads.
The film follows two women: Martha (Tilda Swinton), who is dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis, and her friend Ingrid (Julianne Moore) who chooses to stay with Martha during her final days The story explores themes of battling illness and the choices one has to make when facing incurable cancer is teeming with messages about fighting disease and the choices one should be allowed to make when suffering from incurable cancer.
Despite its morbid plot, the film offers moments of dark humor and occasional comic relief. For example,Ingrid, who has written novels about morality, struggles to cope with Martha’s impending death. While the humor is present, there aren’t laugh-out-loud moments, and the film will resonate most with viewers who appreciate subtlety.
Aesthetically, bright colors are important in Almodóvar films, and “The Room Next Door” is no exception. But New York City and Upstate New York being the film’s settings make it feel cold, as opposed to the colorful urban settings from the rest of the director’s filmography.
The film has some glaring flaws, including pacing. Though it runs for about two hours, it feels much longer, possibly due to the heavy material it tackles. The plot isn’t convoluted, but certain scenes, like the flashbacks near the beginning, feel unnecessary.
It’s no surprise that the acting in the film is phenomenal, given the acclaim and experience of both Moore and Swinton. The leads are perfectly cast: Moore conveys both fear and empathy, while Swinton brings her signature ghostly and eccentric presence. There is one sequence near the end of the film where Swinton doubles as a second character, which feels very odd and confusing. With the sequence coming so late in the film, it’s difficult to avoid the unsettling effect it has on the viewer.
Nadia Brach is an assistant arts editor and can be reached at nadia.brach@ubspectrum.com
