I had the unique opportunity to watch Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s first English language feature film in Barcelona.
Almodóvar is legendary in his country as a director, screenwriter and author with a long list of award-winning films. He’s well-known for the elements of melodrama, irreverent humor, bold color and glossy décor he incorporates into his work.
As someone unfamiliar with his previous films, I initially found the dialogue between the lead characters stilted and unnatural. This surprised me considering the three leads in the film; Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton and John Turturro, are all incredibly accomplished actors. Eventually, I realized the stylized delivery was intentional, reflecting the awkwardness of the characters’ situations.
Moore plays Ingrid, a journalist, author and longtime friend of Martha, who is played by Swinton. Turturro plays Damian, a former colleague and lover of both women. All three of them have been estranged for years and have been drawn back together by the impending death of Swinton’s character.
Moore is a chameleon who inhabits every role she plays with authenticity. Swinton, with her unique physical presence and style, stands out in this role. Her frailty increases and energy decreases with the advancement of her disease. In the latter part of the film, Swinton stretches her performance in a way I won’t spoil here, because it’s worth waiting for.
In an interview, Swinton expressed that the person in the room next door has chosen to help, rather than simply look away and do nothing. She emphasized that we are all "next door" to something — and she’s right. Whether it’s an individual from a marginalized group being targeted or an entire country under attack, we must not look away.
I’m not sure if the Spanish audience fully grasped the political significance, but the film’s exploration of current issues, including euthanasia and the influence of right-wing, religious fervor on law enforcement, felt timely. As Americans, watching it the day after the U.S. elections, we certainly couldn’t ignore the relevance of its messages.
“The Room Next Door” is rated PG-13 and runs 1 hour and 47 quietly suspenseful minutes. It’s in English with Spanish subtitles.
