The Room Next Door

Pedro Almodovar's new film The Room Next Door is a meditative and visually arresting exploration of mortality, friendship and self-determination, demonstrating the director's ability to adapt his signature style to a different cultural and linguistic landscape. Despite its moments of beauty and deep thematic reflection, however, the film struggles to fully reconcile its ambitions and often feels uneven and limited in its execution.

The story centers on the characters of Ingrid Parker (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton), two distant friends who reunite as Martha faces terminal cervical cancer. Martha's request that Ingrid accompany her to a remote, picturesque upstate New York home during her final days underscores the central tension: an intimate study of friendship balanced against the ethics and emotions of assisted suicide. Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore deliver deeply nuanced performances, embodying the complex interplay of denial, courage and acceptance that defines their characters' journeys.

Pedro Almodóvar's attention to detail is evident in the film's aesthetic. From Bina Daigeler's lush costume palette to Inbal Weinberg's meticulous interior design, the images exude life and beauty, contrasting poignantly with the film's dark subject matter. The upstate New York setting, though mostly filmed in Spain, evokes a sense of timeless isolation, complemented by Eduard Grau's cinematography, which captures moments of quiet reflection with a painterly elegance.

The dialogue, however, occasionally falters, weighed down by its expository nature and stilted phrasing. English, not Pedro Almodóvar's mother tongue, introduces an awkwardness that disrupts the film's rhythm, particularly in the opening scenes. Key moments in the story, such as Martha's estrangement from her daughter and her traumatic experiences as a war correspondent, feel more like monologues than natural exchanges. This problem is compounded by the film's pacing, which relies heavily on philosophical discourse but doesn't always manage to engage deeply with its ideas.

Despite these slight flaws, The Room Next Door retains a convincing emotional core. Ingrid grapples with her own fear of death, oscillating between reluctant support and empathetic resolution. Martha, for her part, displays a quiet determination, her poised appearance occasionally giving way to flashes of vulnerability. Their dynamic, though unevenly developed, gains strength as the film progresses, culminating in moments of genuine tenderness and connection.

Thematically, the film is both an affirmation of life's ephemeral beauty and a critique of societal taboos surrounding death and autonomy. Pedro Almodóvar skilfully avoids didacticism in his treatment of euthanasia, presenting it not as a moral debate but as a deeply personal act. The juxtaposition of personal mortality with broader existential concerns - such as climate change, embodied by John Turturro in the brief but striking role of a fatalistic academic - lends the film a universal resonance.

The flashbacks, though visually striking, sometimes seem tangential, adding narrative layers without significantly enriching the central relationship. Moments like the haunting memory of a burning house or Martha's encounter with a charismatic gym trainer veer into melodrama and dilute the film's interest. But these vignettes also remind us of Almodóvar's ability to find beauty and drama in the banal and the absurd.

The Room Next Door reflects a filmmaker grappling with new territory, both linguistically and thematically. Although it lacks the brilliant cohesion of Pedro Almodóvar's earlier works such as All About My Mother or Pain and Glory, it remains a visually sumptuous and emotionally profound work. The celebration of life's vitality in the midst of its inevitable end resonates deeply, even if the execution leaves something to be desired. For longtime fans, it's a bittersweet reminder of Pedro Almodóvar's singular vision, tempered by the challenges of translation and reinvention.

The Room Next Door
Written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Based on What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez
Produced by Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García
Starring Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola
Cinematography : Edu Grau
Edited by Teresa Font
Music by Alberto Iglesias
Production company : El Deseo
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics (Etats-Unis), Pathe Films (France)
Release dates : 2 September 2024 (Venice), 18 October 2024 (Spain), December 20, 2024 (United States), January 8, 2025 (France)
Running time : 106 minutes

Seen December 16, 2024 at Pathé Palace, Room 3

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