Over the last decade or so Pedro Almodóvar has become one of my absolute favorite filmmakers. It started when I caught a late night screening of the remarkable Julieta after running late and missing the movie I originally planned to see. I had enjoyed the Almodóvar movies I had seen to that point, but Julieta was a revelation. Each subsequent new film, plus viewings of older ones, proved exponentially rewarding. That leads me to Almodóvar’s English language feature The Room Next Door, based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel “What Are You Going Through.”
Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore star as Martha and Ingrid, two old friends reconnecting later in life. That time apart hasn’t dulled their connection. They fall into their old report pretty quickly. Both have successful careers as writers, Martha as a war reporter and Ingrid as a novelist. The twist, such as it were, is that Martha is sick and has decided for a self-euthanasia ending and wants Ingrid to be there with her.
What follows is a meditative story about friendship, life, and death. The film is contemplative it way many of the late-era Almodóvar films have been. Nothing has been lost in translation going from Spanish to English. At its core, this is quintessential Almodóvar: working in melodramatic, emotionally fraught territory with expectional actresses. The Room Next Door is anchored by two tremendous performances from Swinton and Moore. The greatness of all three is well-established, but it’s invigorating to see them continuing to find ways to surprise viewers.
As the year wraps up and many of the awards players are working their way through theaters, here’s a shout to find time to catch The Room Next Door when you can. This is a movie that doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of living and dying. It’s also a movie that looks for the things to appreciate in those moments. The more I sit with the film, the more it feels like a major work.
The Room Next Door is currently in limited release and expands wider in January 2025
