What's happened
Pedro Almodóvar's latest film, 'The Room Next Door,' featuring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, has garnered mixed reviews following its Venice Film Festival win. Critics highlight its ambitious themes but criticize its execution and dialogue, questioning the film's authenticity in its English-language adaptation.
Why it matters
What the papers say
Critics have expressed varied opinions on 'The Room Next Door.' Adam White from The Independent describes the film as 'didactic, strained and unsure of itself,' noting that the dialogue feels forced and lacks the usual Almodóvar charm. In contrast, Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian found the film 'extravagant and engrossing,' highlighting the performances of Moore and Swinton. However, he acknowledges that the film's English-language shift might expose its stylistic weaknesses. This divergence in reviews illustrates the challenges faced by filmmakers when adapting complex narratives across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
How we got here
Almodóvar's 'The Room Next Door' marks his first English-language feature, adapted from Sigrid Nunez's novel. The film explores themes of friendship and assisted dying, set against a backdrop of personal and societal crises, and was filmed primarily in Spain despite its American setting.
Common question
-
What Are the Main Themes of Almodóvar's Latest Film 'The Room Next Door'?
Pedro Almodóvar's new film, 'The Room Next Door,' has sparked a variety of reactions from audiences and critics alike. As his first English-language feature, the film delves into complex themes such as friendship and assisted dying, set against personal and societal crises. This page explores the film's reception, its thematic depth, and how it compares to Almodóvar's previous works.
More on these topics
-
Sigrid Nunez is an American writer, best known for her novels. Her seventh novel, The Friend, won the 2018 National Book Award for Fiction. She is on the faculty of the Creative Writing Program at Boston University.
-
Julianne Moore is an American actress and author. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is particularly known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in both independent and blockbuster films, and has received many accolades, including an A
-
Pedro Almodóvar Caballero is a Spanish filmmaker, director, screenwriter, producer, and former actor.
He came to prominence as a director and screenwriter during La Movida Madrileña, a cultural renaissance that followed after the end of Francoist Spain.