Talk to Her (Hable con Ella)

Rating:
Summary: Mesmerising, Satisfying, Provocative (4.5 stars)
Review: Pedro Almodovar is indeed a director who betters from film to film. At least in recent years; his previous effort "All About My Mother" achieved much, including Best Foreign Film Oscar, but I dare say "Talk to Her" is even better.

In Slovakia, where I live, the poster to this film blared: "The Most Beautiful Film of the Year". I think this time the posters were not far from the truth.

You really do not have to know the synopsis before you watch it. Almodovar's films are not too interesting when you judge solely on "what's going on in there". But his treatment is unique and his directing, I believe, could make a class-act even from a poor, ordinary idea.

On the other hand, characters and their stories in Almodovar's films are so unique and hard to repeat that it makes them unforgettable. The same applies to two men and two women starring in "Talk to Her". It's enough for you to know the film is basically about two men taking care of two comatose women in a hospital. Both men are different from one another, but somehow the 'crazy' one teaches the 'normal' one something important about life...

As always, acting is immaculate, also from supporting actors. You cannot help but smile while watching the rude TV reporter interviewing toreador Lydia about her love life, or witness ballet teacher (Geraldine Chaplin) asking Benigno things about art. But the most endearing is the common janitor, firing criticism at media people in coversation with Marco.

All kinds of emotions may surface while viewing this masterpiece, which is helped by brilliant score by Alberto Iglesias -- graceful, dominated by guitar and strings. The end of the film, rather satisfying in itself, is enhanced by wonderful use of English composer Henry Purcell's baroque motive.

The best European film of 2002 is really worth seeing. Its poetry, colours and humour will touch you in unexpected ways.

Rating:
Summary: Dolor y vida al estilo Almodovar!
Review: Spaniard Pedro Almodovar's unforgettable takes on the human condition have ranged from the ribald ("Labrynth of Passion") to powerfully heartfelt ("All About My Mother"). In between he's become his own cinematic genre. From women on the verge of nervous breakdowns to women daring to reveal the flower of their secrets, Almodovar is one of the few filmmakers that can spawn a wave of eager anticipation at the box office with each new effort. TALK TO HER is built to engage the heart and mind -- becoming of one of Almodovar's best efforts in the process.

A quirky tale of friendship and fidelity, TALK TO HER chronicles the lives of two couples. The catch -- both women in each union are in comas. The focus of the story captures the patient waiting game of the two men: A nurse who has given his life to caring for a young dancer. A journalist who has been seduced by a female bullfighter. The two men forge a unique friendship with the journalist seduced anew by the nurse, whose unconditional love for the dancer offers a beacon of hope for his sleeping bullfighter.

Of course, this being the world of Almodovar, men coming to grips with their emotions and sensitivity never results in an easy resolution. While both men find the ability to talk to their women with incredible honesty and selflessness, love turns to obsession for one, leading to tragic circumstances.

What makes TALK TO HER such compelling entertainment is its quartet of characters. Both Dario Grandinetti (the journalist) and especially, Javier Camara (the nurse) deliver emotionally authentic performances. As the film becomes a darker experience, neither men cause the audience to lose their empathy. Rosario Flores' bullfighter is also remarkable, an earthy temptress that is as strong as she is insecure in her own passion.

From its lushly evocative score by Alberto Iglesias to the the classy sheen of the film's cinematography, TALK TO HER finds the director at his peak. At the same time, this is challenging stuff. Almodovar deflty handles the comedic and emotional ties with considerable grace, never sacrificing one for the other with banalities. (A high point is watching Caetano Veloso sing the classic "Cucurrucucu Paloma" in a flashback sequence that is beautiful). It is by far his most assured effort as a director and writer. While fans of the outrageous Almodovar past may quibble about his latest forays into more mainstream efforts, his skewed world view is very much intact. Witness the now infamous short film near the end of the film, an erotic encounter that defies description. With so much ink spilled on how Almodovar's women are the cornerstone of his art, having him essay such compelling male characters for the first time since "Law of Desire" is another key example of the director's ability to evolve as an artist.

You may find yourself questioning the narrative at some point, but it is a richly layered film that commands attention and plenty of talk once the end credits roll. One of the year's best in any language.

Rating:
Summary: Almadovar's last is probably his best.
Review: This is a deeply moving film, beautifully filmed and superbly acted with several interlocking themes: the beauty of women, the importance of attention to and care for those in a coma, the relation between science and mystery. The plot has many twists and ironies abound. Lacking the over-the-top humor of such earlier films as "Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown, it impressed me as the most mature of Almodovar's films that I have seen, both artistically and thematically.

Rating:
Summary: Psychopaths Need Love Too
Review: Once again, Pedro Almodovar has delivered yet another complex movie mended together by his visual style and great actors.
The story is triggered off by Lydia (Rosario Flores, musician) , who as a female bullfighter, gets mauled in the coliseum during a fight, which leaves her in a coma. At her side, her lover Mauricio, stays uncomfortably with her at all times. Here we meet Benigno, a male nurse appointed to take care of Alicia, in a coma as well. Throughout the story, we sense that Mauricio seems to be attracted to the emotionally starved, which leads him to form a bond with Benigno, who apparently lives for Alicia.

Once again, I give my hat off to Almodovar for creating a movie made by the characters, rather than situations. From the beginning, Pedro gives us outcomes first, then the causes, a style that works so well that by the end, you feel the characters truly exist. By doing this, our minds begin to actually feel FOR the character, even if by theory, the character deserves no mercy. THAT is the incredible and unique style of Pedro Almodovár, which I love.

This film made me want to see more of Benigno, which, without spoiling anything, I'll have to say that I SHOULDN'T want to see more of him, since he is the "antagonist" in this picture. Is this sounding odd? Contradictory? YES! one must see this piece of work to appreciate, 2 years in the making and well worth the wait.

Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL
Review: It seems as Almodovar gets older he is abandoning the sex, drugs and violent theatrics of past films for themes of love, death and redemption. The brilliant All About My Mother dealt with a woman's love for her son, with the death of her son and finding redemption in the father of her son.

With Talk To Her, Almodovar continues to explore these themes and although not much really happens in this film, it's never uninteresting. It slowly meanders along taking subtle unexpected twists and turns in plot and essentially deals with the dynamics of a forged friendship between two men who have similar situations: both of them care for women who are in comas. The characters alone are strong enough and interesting enough to carry the film and make this a movie worth seeing. You find yourself caring for the characters, identifying with their sense of loneliness and hoping for the best in their lives.

Not to say that this isn't typical Almodovar fare, his irreverent sense of humor is heavily evident throughout, especially during the silent movie sequence. His visual sense of style and color explode on the screen with every scene and the interludes, the wonderful modern dance numbers which open and close the film and especially the incredible singer in the café, convey a forlorn sense of hope. Will these men find some sort of happiness? Will these women wake from their slumber? Flashing back and forth between the present and the past, Almodovar deftly creates a world of wonder, beauty and sadness. By the time the closing scene fades and the credits start to roll, you're emotionally spent yet strangely you want more.

With Talk To Her Almodovar has come into his own as a master film maker. Highly recommended. 4 1/2 STARS.

Rating:
Summary: More plot than most Almodovar, but boring in parts
Review: Pedro Almodovar seems to be going through the most expensive therapy of an aparently nasty childhood--his relationships with women were too close, but not satisfying. He's working things out by one more weird movie after another. In this fantasy, he has two comotose female characters who are ogled and felt up by the male leads.

Unlike most Almodovar films where the narrative structure is subsumed beneath shock effects, this one has a story to tell. It's about a half hour too long, so it goes slow in places.

If you're a fan of Pedro, you'll like this movie. And if you're not, it's not as disjointed as most of his work, and the story has its amusing moments.

Rating:
Summary: Speechless
Review: Being a teenager, I normally allow my brain to rot while I watch movies such as Austin Powers: Goldmember. My mother, a native Spaniard who hasn't set foot in her country in 23 years, accompanies me on a journey to Spain everytime we watch an Almodovar film. Not only do we get the opportunity to see the land in which our roots lie, we also realize that Almodovar films are like no other. I loved All About My Mother, Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and The Flower of My Secret, but Talk to Her blew me away. I stared at the screen even as the credits were rolling, mesmerized and wanting more. You grow to love the characters and feel what they're feeling. I even felt sympathy for the love-struck Benigno. I don't know how he does it, but Almodovar draws up masterpiece after masterpiece. He is truly a genius.

Rating:
Summary: Tell Her you Love Her
Review: Pedro Almodovar has something different up his sleeve with his newest, "Talk to Her." Whereas in the past his concerns have been almost exclusively with a woman's mindset as in "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" or "All About My Mother," "Talk to Her" is about men and their inability to communicate, open up to their loved ones. Of course, being that Almodovar is a Spaniard, Machismo plays a big part in the world in which he lives, but here he is looking for the Universal; the things that bind us all together as Mankind. And what would seem a pretty basic theme in most directors' hands becomes in Almodovar's, a difficult, sympathetic and plaintive treatise rife with complexity and turmoil. Almodovar is never out for the easy fix. As one of the leads (Benigno played by Jose Camara), who has no problem showing his emotions, says to his counterpart (Marco played by Dario Grandinetti):"Talk to her...a woman's likes to feel that she is cared for and cherished." (paraphrase)
As sometimes happens in life, these two disparate men become friends; the one coaching the other on the ways and means of understanding how to deal with what is not only in front of our eyes but also what is out there in the cosmos.
Almodovar's world is usually a hard candy colored world of zany characters, blatant sexuality and pure fun, but in "Talk to Her," as in "All about my Mother" his palette is subdued, his mise-en-scene still and quiet. With age, he has become not only more introspective but also wiser.

Rating:
Summary: excellent film
Review: let me first say that I am a big fan of pedro & I was not dissaponited in this film. The story line was great as was the performances by all the actors.I reflected on this film for several days after seeing it & it is one of thebest films I have seen.

Rating:
Summary: A MASTERPIECE FROM EVERY POINT OF VIEW!
Review: When I saw "The Flower of my Secret" and then "All About my Mother" It was not easy for me to bealive that Almodovar could do it again without repiting himself. But when I saw "Talk To Her" I realize that He is an absolut genious. The movie is a complex and beautiful story told in a way only directors like Kubrick could. It's claer that Almodovar have no limits and that we are in front of an artist that will change the story of cinematography.
¡Dont miss it please!