Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
”A TV actress searches for answers after being left by her lover, encountering eccentric characters along the way.”
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Why watch this film?
If you make a Top 10 of the best Almodóvar movies, 'Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios' will certainly take a prominent place in the list. It's a crazy mix of drama and black humor that includes adultery, hysteria, and even terrorism in a hilarious plot that gets increasingly ridiculous but you won't be able to stop watching. This is the seventh movie of the Spanish filmmaker, who won five Goya Awards and the Best Screenplay Award in Venice, as well as being nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA.
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Plot summary
A television actress encounters a variety of eccentric characters after embarking on a journey to discover why her lover abruptly left her.
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From the same director
The Skin I Live In
In one of the great films by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas plays a plastic surgeon who keeps a woman with a mask over her face captive in his home. What could have led the doctor to such a drastic act? This is the mystery that surrounds an electrifying suspenseful plot.
Pain and Glory
'Dolor y gloria' é um filme que não deixará ninguém indiferente.Is art constantly being produced or is there a moment when it's necessary to stop and reflect on it? Reflection on cinematic work within the cinema itself is nothing new (‘8 ½’, ‘Adaptation’) and now it's Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar's turn to embark on this journey. The filmmaker travels through his memory with extreme sensitivity, innocence and distress, and perfectly conveys the pain and anguish of old age, but not before filling the eyes and hearts of the audience. Part of the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the best actor award (Antonio Banderas). 'Dolor y gloria' is a film that will leave no one indifferent.
High Heels
A novel with the Pedro Almodóvar seal of quality. In 1991, when 'Tacones lejanos' was released, the Spaniard had already been nominated for an Oscar for 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' (1988) and international recognition for 'Law of Desire' (1987) and 'Tie Me Up!' (1989). Because of this, it was to be expected another characteristic production of him and indeed, once again we are presented with a plot full of layers in Almodóvar's style. In the movie, a famous singer abandons her daughter to invest in her career and returns 15 years later. The big surprise is that now the girl is already a woman and is married to her former lover. The story makes a direct reference to Ingmar Bergman's 'Autumn Sonata' and works very well the relationship of competition between mother and daughter, when deep down they only want the love of each other.
Live Flesh
"Shaking Flesh", unlike most of Almodóvar's films, is not an original screenplay. Adapted by Pedro Almodóvar, Jorge Guerricaechevarría and Ray Loriga, the narrative is inspired by a novel by Ruth Rendell. Nevertheless, it is still a movie with all of the Spanish director's signatures - the colors, the warmth of the story, the memorable performances, the presence of motherhood in the tones of the narrative. All of this to tell the story of a man (Liberto Rabal) who takes a shot after a confusion and, imprisoned, sets up his revenge. In a story in the best "butterfly effect" style, the novel-like plot is flavorful and brings a strong sensual tone, with one of the most beautiful sex scenes in the history of cinema. A strong and powerful movie that stays in memory.
The Flower of My Secret
A highly melancholic plot with good moments, 'La flor de mi secreto' is one of those films forgotten in Pedro Almodóvar's filmography. And that is an injustice. The feature film, after all, brings all the tones of the filmmaker wrapped in an overly human narrative about a romance novelist (Marisa Paredes) who writes second-rate stories and achieves some success, but hides under a pseudonym. On the other hand, she feels unhappy because her marriage to a military man who is always abroad is in crisis. From there, with a lot of color and emotion, we follow this woman discovering herself, destroying herself, understanding herself. A strong and human film poem that does not spare emotion. And attention: the protagonist's book became 'Volver' years later.
Talk to Her
What a movie! What a movie! That's how to start a text about 'Hable con ella', one of Pedro Almodóvar's masterpieces. Here, we follow the story of Benigno Martin (Javier Cámara), a nurse who lives in front of Katerina Bilova's (Geraldine Chaplin) ballet academy. He stands at his window watching the rehearsals, very attentive to one of the students (Leonor Watling). So, when Alicia is injured in a car accident, she ends up hospitalized in the hospital where he works. Benigno takes care of her, in a coma, with a care above normal. From then on, we follow a plot that constantly plays with the ethics and morality of the situations shown on the screen, leaving the viewer in a real emotional confusion with the relationship between Cámera and Watling's characters. The brave ending, typical of melodramas that go beyond that rooted emotion, is a real shot. A milestone in Almodóvar's career. And this without mentioning the excellent photography, as usual in the Spaniard's films, and a very special soundtrack.
What Have I Done to Deserve This?
If you like those Pedro Almodóvar films more focused on the melodrama, in the best style of good novels, '¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto?' is an ideal movie to return to the filmmaker's Spanish filmography. After all, the story about an unhappy housewife awakens all kinds of intense emotions: despair, laughter, sadness, strangeness. Married to a rude and unfaithful taxi driver, she is forced to work incessantly to support the family, which is still composed of a drug-trafficking son, an exploitative mother-in-law and another teenager, whom she decides to sell to her dentist. From there, we follow a series of strange characters that make sense only in an Almodóvar movie. To travel in the madness of the story and the unexpected obscurantism of the plot.
Kika
It is important to surrender to the absurd and unexpected when going to watch a Pedro Almodóvar movie. He has no fear when it comes to satirizing on the most diverse topics and in 'Kika', we follow another side of his critiques. In the story, Kika is a makeup artist called to make up the body of a corpse. However, the dead man is actually alive and this ends up involving her in a complicated plot. With a lot of humor, Almodóvar weaves a critique of television, as he does also in 'High Heels', and both films have a very similar aesthetic. A good comedy, with a soap opera feel, from one of the best author directors of today.
Dark Habits
Pedro Almodóvar has no fear of expressing his emotions and dissatisfactions in his productions, and this is clear from the beginning of his career. 'Entre tinieblas' is the third movie of the director and, without a doubt, one of the most daring. In telling the story of a convent where the nuns are lesbian, drugged and blackmailed to be funded by the rich, the Spanish filmmaker uses and abuses exaggeration to criticize the Catholic Church. In the 1980s, conservatism in Spain was still very strong, largely due to the Franco regime that dominated the country from 1939 to 1975. Almodóvar was raised within a dictatorial political system and this defined his way of telling stories. It is valid to say that this is not one of the best feature films of the filmmaker, but it is relevant for the context and it was necessary for him to make even more elaborate criticisms in other productions.
Bad Education
Pedro Almodóvar is not one of the most well-known Spanish directors in the world for nothing, he has always presented a raw cinema with a focus on issues rarely seen in the film industry. 'La mala educación' openly talks about sexual and psychological abuses of the Catholic Church and transgender identity. In 2004, when this movie was released, transgender representation was still very focused on satire and Almodóvar showed that it should not be like that. The story even manages to have a relationship with Alfred Hitchcock's classic, 'Vertigo', much because of the theme - this construction of idealizing love and being deceived by the beloved one. Just like in Hitchcock's movie, we see a repression of desires, which gains a greater dimension in 'La mala educación' due to it being a child whose whole life was disrupted by abuse. It is impossible to talk about this production without mentioning the brilliant performance of Gael García Bernal, who steps down from the pedestal of a heartthrob to play three completely different and complex characters.
Law of Desire
"La Ley del Deseo" tells the story of a homosexual theater director who gets involved in an obsessive and toxic romance. As with most of Pedro Almodóvar's films, we again see a discussion about religion and moral values spiced up with love, sex, and criticism of the Catholic Church. Laden with irony, this tragic story is essential to understanding the rawer side of Almodóvar's cinema. In addition to a good script, photography, soundtrack (which includes a version by Brazilian singer Maysa of "Ne Me Quitte Pas"), and the brilliant direction of the Spanish filmmaker, "La Ley del Deseo" also features excellent performances by Antonio Banderas and Carmen Maura. Without a doubt, this is one of Pedro Almodóvar's best (and most personal) works.
The Human Voice
'The Human Voice' is one of the most peculiar works of acclaimed director Pedro Almodóvar ('All About My Mother', 'Pain and Glory', 'The Skin I Live In'). The short is inspired by Jean Cocteau's homonymous play, and starred by Tilda Swinton ('We Need to Talk About Kevin', 'Suspiria'). It tells the story of a woman and her dog, doomed to an eternal wait for her husband who promises to come back but abandons them. The play itself is already a strong work, and then added with Almodóvar's singularities - which updates the text to the present moment and fills the atmosphere with vibrant colors while contrasting it with the feeling of uncommunicability and coldness - and the brilliant and characteristic performance of Tilda Swinton, we have as a result something that translates as a mixture of three intense personalities. It is a powerful movie by itself, but when taking into account the context of its collaborators, it becomes a rare and unique work.
Parallel Mothers
One of Pedro Almodóvar's best films, following his excellent work in 'Dolor y Gloria' (2019). With a highly unpredictable plot, as is the case with much of his filmography, 'Madres Paralelas' brings a surprising and very moving story. In the plot, two women meet in the hospital, give birth on the same day and form a bond that transforms their lives. The characters are well related and the performances are impeccable - special mention to Penélope Cruz and Milena Smit, who not only deliver everything, but also have good chemistry on screen. 'Madres Paralelas' has a fantastic script, which breaks away from the conventional, bringing truly relevant discussions.
Volver
Pedro Almodóvar brings a colorful, lively and attractive movie with a completely obscure story. In 'Volver' we follow a family story composed only by female characters - men are completely unnecessary in the narrative. The Spanish director makes a beautiful work to celebrate female strength, even though in our machist society this fact often goes unnoticed. As in all of Almodóvar's filmography, the soundtrack of the movie is impeccable, as well as the cast formed by Penélope Cruz, nominated for an Oscar for her role, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas and Yohana Cobo. In short, 'Volver' manages to be a gracious, disturbing, funny and very relevant production.
All About My Mother
If 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' put Pedro Almodóvar on the map for international audiences, 'Todo sobre mi madre' solidified him as one of the best current directors in Spain - and the world. Winner of six Goya Awards, two BAFTAs, the Golden Globe, and the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, plus the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival, it is a powerful drama with the acidic comedic tones used by the director to tackle issues such as faith and existentialism, homosexuality, loss, and AIDS.
Strange Way of Life
Short film by the talented Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar (The Skin I Live In, Parallel Mothers), "Strange Way of Life" is quite different in terms of narrative from what we see in his other English-language short, "The Human Voice," but it shares the same essence: to provoke and question the language of cinema. While the other one is about the confining (and even existential) nature of characters, this one questions the limits of the western genre. How? Following in the footsteps of "Brokeback Mountain," it tells the love story of two men (Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal) in an environment that usually portrays toxic masculinity. In half an hour, the Spanish filmmaker builds an engaging narrative, discussing betrayal, fear, and redemption, in a story that keeps us hooked until its conclusion. And a word of caution for those watching it in theaters: it might be a good idea to skip the one-hour interview presented at the end. Apart from being too long, Almodóvar ends up providing information that interferes with the overall experience.
Comedy
Psychic by Accident
In the plot, at the age of 40, architect Ulisses (Otaviano Costa), skeptical of his career and unsure of his talents, visits a “vocational coach” who promises to find people’s true vocation. After drinking suspicious tea offered by the professional in her crazy ritual, Ulisses blacks out and has his belongings stolen. But mysteriously he leaves there with a strange power: discovering, with just a touch, people's true vocation.
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A triptych fable following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader.
