All About Almodovar

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All About Almodovar

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By Ben Elliott

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When we talk about someone “growing up on screen,” it usually refers to a child star maturing into an accomplished actor. Rarer — and arguably more fascinating — is witnessing a filmmaker come of age behind the camera. And few have done so as compellingly as Pedro Almodóvar, the legendary Spanish director whose latest film, The Room Next Door, opens at The Triplex this week.

Talk to Her, 2002

But as Almodóvar matured, so did his work. While retaining his provocative edge, he began weaving layers of introspection into his storytelling, creating intricate narratives where the past and present collide. Films like Live Flesh, All About My Mother, and Talk to Her expanded on his early themes with a newfound poignancy, reflecting the melancholy and wisdom of age. Later works such as Bad Education, Volver, and Broken Embraces drew from classics like Double Indemnity and Vertigo, exploring characters haunted by their histories and hinting at Almodóvar’s own struggles with his past.

It’s an introspection that reaches its peak in his recent films. Pain & Glory, a semi-autobiographical tale, casts Antonio Banderas as Almodóvar’s stand-in, exploring an aging director’s reckoning with his legacy. Parallel Mothers delves into Spain’s unresolved Civil War trauma, while The Room Next Door channels his early passion for subversion into a meditation on life’s final chapter.

The Room Next Door, 2024

It’s a fascinating body of work, one that fuses the personal and political, proudly elevating queer and women-focused narratives that challenge the status quo. Each era of his filmmaking remains vital, especially in a world increasingly flirting with authoritarianism. But perhaps his greatest achievement is the collective story his films tell: an artist growing, loving, losing, and transforming those experiences into timeless art.

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