12/11
Both had Julianne Moore in mind
Plot
Ingrid and Martha 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 sent Tilda Swinton the script, he asked her who should play Ingrid. Featured in The 7PM Project: episode 8 September 2024 (2024). It’s a bit strange to watch an Almodovar film in English.
It’s beautiful, it’s moving, it’s meaningful
This is such a quintessentially Spanish director that the lack of Spanish (apart from one brief sentence) seems to take away an essential element from the film. But even in English, Almodovar remains Almodovar, just as Woody Allen remained Woody Allen in his French film. I think this is one of the best films he’s made. There aren’t many films that combine those three qualities. It seems as if with each new film he directs, he’s getting closer to the purest form of filmmaking.
Far from it
In this case, it is a story about two friends who both have to deal with death. Martha is dying of cancer and wants to be euthanized, Ingrid is an old friend who is afraid of death, but still agrees to accompany Martha in her last days. This sounds like a very depressing film. I assure you: it is not. There are many more happy moments than sad ones.
His sets are, as usual, carefully designed
Even Martha embraces life in her last moments, because she wants to spend them in a stunningly luxurious villa in the woods. Almodovar recreates a world of beauty, full of color and aesthetics. But this is also a very touching film, showing how valuable good friendships can be and how, even in death, dignity and respect are essential values. Almodovar includes many references in his film. Martha and Ingrid watch films by Buster Keaton and John Huston, and go to the cinema where Rossellini’s film is being shown.
But I think the most obvious influence is Ingmar Bergman
Not only does the story resemble Bergman’s Persona, but the entire film has a Bergman feel. Like many Bergman films, it relies heavily on dialogue, deals with themes like death and religion, and has a limited number of characters. The difference: Almodovar adds a bit of Spanish warmth and color.