Review of Talk to Her (2002) by Yuri O — 30 Jan 2009

After 'Todo sobre mi madre (All About My Mother),' Almodóvar returns with a mature story to tell. This film is a departure from which his audience might expect, but nonetheless compelling movie making. He says that movies for him are like telling stories, and since he was little he used to tell movies that he had seen to his sisters, often changing the movie itself and all of loving this 'tell' movies even better. Now, he is being the camera telling us a story about love as only he can tell it.

As usual, in his world, he gives his audience a raw story, but masterfully crafted both as a writer and as a director. His use of color, imagery, and music denotes a man who has come to the top of his game. His characters tend to be more human this time around, but they aim to connect and convey emotional sincerity. His visuals have changed from interesting camera work, to subliminal scenes as is the case of Lydia's last corrida.

Benigno (Javier Cámara) and Marco (Darío Grandinetti), met for the first time by chance at a dance performance, and are drawn to two different women Alica (Leonor Watling) and Lydia (Rosario Flores), respectively. Due to circumstances, both women are in coma and through their love, a friendship is born. Almodóvar gives us a relationship like he has not written ever: two men who are naked, emotionally, to one another and understand each other. Cámara's Benigno is an ingenue with lots to give, especially towards Alicia. He is a human being that follows his heart without a second thought, and that is his doom. Benigno is a wonderful contrast for Gardinetti's Marco, a man who is on the mend and not eager to give himself easily, though filled with emotion. Both are men who have qualities both humane and atypically masculine.