Pedro Almodovar, for several decades, has been the shining star of Spanish cinema, enchanting moviegoers with exceptional classics such as Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Volver, and The Skin I Live In. However, for the first time, Almodovar makes his feature-length drama debut in English with The Room Next Door. The film delivers a very interesting story with minimum exposition and compelling characters that create a restricting and freeing atmosphere.
The film is set in the modern day, where Ingrid, an autofiction novelist played by Julianne Moore, meets up with Martha Hunt, a war reporter played by Tilda Swinton, after a long absence. Both experience a great sense of elation mixed in with dread and terror as the story unfolds with a secret Martha reveals. Overall, I found the plot to be the strongest element of the movie because of the manner Almodovar layers the story carefully to not rush through pivotal dialogue scenes but also not to slow down the film superfluously. This balance is key to delivering a captivating experience and connecting with the characters on a deeper level. The uses of flashbacks help contextualize these feelings and illustrates the mental state both women are under.
Julianne Moore’s portrayal of Ingrid as a relatable, caring friend is poignant, as she withholds a lot of emotional gravity that her character typically would show. This restriction, I believe, elevates her from a standard melodramatic figure, to a complex, and layered character—providing a source for audience members to relate to better than the standard methods used by many actors . On the other hand, Tilda Swinton’s Martha Hunt is a woman with a major complication in her life, but this roadblock allows her to reach a conclusion that will shock moviegoers but not scare them. Tilda Swinton is arguably one of, if not the greatest actress we have ever seen, and she demonstrates that clearly in this motion picture, with an acting style reminiscent to the works of Cate Blanchett or Meryl Streep.
Pedro Almodovar has an interesting directorial style, with a great emphasis on tight shot compositions, mesmerizing locations, and a wide use of color palettes. The staging and blocking of the film are good and pronounced, but in some sequences, it is rather limited and feels stagnant. The cinematography is where Almodovar shines, as the locations help ground the film for today’s audience, and the music glides across the scenes seamlessly. The editing is simplified, but I think this creates a clean and sound odyssey we are about to embark on with the protagonists and their arcs. For the most part, the direction is solid but nothing remarkable like his previous films I stated earlier.
The film’s themes of loss, regret, and morality are handled carefully. They are developed enough by symbols and motifs as opposed to dialogue, and the acting helps to engrave these themes in the mind easier. The message of the film is somewhat unclear , with Almodovar not taking a stance; however, this may be better since people can plug in the gaps and intend the movie how they want to.
The strengths of the film are most certainly the acting and story, with Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore delivering controlled yet emotional performances that showcase the experience these stellar actresses have. The plot is interesting enough that it does not require an epic or a heavily dramatized approach. The weaknesses of the film are not weaknesses in the conventional sense, but the direction is the least impressive element out of all of them,
In conclusion, The Room Next Door is a great film that is certain to provide the captivating drama the cinema desperately desires. I would recommend this to viewers who are interested in character study films and drama books readers.
