Ingrid (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton) were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine once upon a time. Ingrid went on to become an autofiction novelist while Martha became a war reporter, and they were separated by the circumstances of life. After years of being out of touch, they meet again. But the joys of being reunited are tempered when Martha makes a request, one that will test their newly strengthened bond.
In legendary Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature film, all of his signature trademarks are on full display. Be it the vibrant color palette seen in Eduard Grau’s lush cinematography, the enviable set design, or his uncanny ability to blend off-beat humor with melodrama, this is an Almodóvar film through and through.
But what really sets The Room Next Door apart are the performances from Swinton and Moore. In one of the year’s most inspired pairings, the two beloved actresses bring a pathos and levity to the work, making it a film far more about life — memories, anecdotes, and the things that make our existence worthwhile — than it is about death.