29/34
Both refer to Julianne Moore
Narrative
Ingrid and Marta were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine. After years of not being in touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation… When Pedro Almodóvar sends the script to Tilda Swinton, he asks who should play Ingrid. Featured in Project 7PM: Episode 8 September 2024. (2024).
Few films combine these three qualities
Watching an Almodóvar film in English is a bit strange. This is such a typical Spanish director that the lack of Spanish (except for one short sentence) seems to take away an essential element of the film. But even in English, Almodóvar continues to be Almodóvar, just as Woody Allen continues to be Woody Allen in his French film. I think it is one of the best films he has ever made. It is beautiful, it is moving, it is meaningful.
Far from it
It seems that with each new film he directs he gets closer to the purest cinema. In this case, it’s the story of two friends who have to deal with death. Martha is dying of cancer and wants euthanasia, Ingrid is an old friend who is afraid of death but still agrees to accompany Martha in her final days. It sounds like a very depressing film. Let me assure you: it’s not.
His sets, as always, are carefully designed
There are many more happy moments than sad ones. Even Martha embraces life in her final moments because she wants to spend them in an incredibly luxurious cabin in the woods. Almodóvar once again creates a beautiful world full of color and aesthetics. But it’s also a very moving film that shows how precious good friendships can be and how, even in death, dignity and respect are fundamental values. Almodóvar includes many references in his film.
But the most obvious influence, in my opinion, is Ingmar Bergman
Martha and Ingrid watch films by Buster Keaton and John Huston and go to the cinema where a Rossellini film is showing. Not only does the story recall Bergman’s Persona, but the entire film has a Bergman touch. Like many Bergman films, it relies heavily on dialogue, deals with themes of death and religion, and has a limited cast of characters. The difference: Almodóvar adds a bit of Spanish warmth and color.
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