Ingrid (Julianne Moore) is a renowned author who has just written a book about death. This was her attempt to combat her own fear, and while she has received rave reviews, it hasn’t exactly helped. At a signing, she learns devastating news of a friend she has not seen in years. If the book didn’t help her confront death, the following weeks for sure will.
War correspondent, Martha (Tilda Swinton) has been diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer. Going against her nature, she has decided to fight it. But with nobody in her life, she will face this battle alone. Until Ingrid comes back into her life, and it seems Martha may have a future after all. Sadly, fate has a way of kicking you while you’re down and despite the chemo, despite the pain, and despite the hope, the cancer has spread. Pragmatic as ever, Martha has decided that she’s not going to let the cancer destroy her. Instead, she plans to take her own life.
Although, she knows she can’t do this alone and turns to Ingrid with a simple yet terrifying request. She needs someone to live with her in the room next door until she feels the time is right to leave this world. Ingrid feels trapped, but sees her friend is suffering and agrees to the request. Over the next month, Ingrid will be challenged by this great weight put upon her shoulders of a moment yet come, to learn about life, death and how to survive.
The one and only Pedro Almodòvar returns with his latest feature, The Room Next Door. The Oscar winning Spanish filmmaker has become known for his tackling of hot button themes from LGBTQ+ issues, love, lust and family, doing so in his irreverent style mixing comedy and melodrama with beautiful visuals and striking colours. For The Room Next Door, Almodòvar makes his English language debut, adapting the 2020 novel by Sigrid Nunez ‘What Are You Going Through‘.
Almodòvar‘s films have always been something of an acquired taste. However, those who enjoy them, ADORE them, and he has developed a huge cult following as an artist, respected by other artists. The Room Next Door being his English language debut could have potentially introduced his style to a completely new audience, but it is held back, perhaps by the filmmaker’s unfamiliarity with writing and directing the English language.
What I mean is, the dialogue of The Room Next Door is extremely stilted in its presentation. It may be that diatribes which read fine on the page have been lifted verbatim from Nunez‘s book and the effect is unnatural. Our introduction to Martha involves several flashbacks, all of which feel rushed and the interactions are wooden, yet over the top. Like they’re a satire of a traumatic flashback from a Will Ferrell parody movie.
Swinton and Moore are both magnificent in this film, yet at the same time are held back by it. Swinton in particular delivers long monologues on the nature of life, death and her heartbreak over her current situation. She’s able to bring emotion and power into the film, but there’s just nothing real about the words she’s reciting. Conversations between the two feel coldly scripted and without the energetic improvisation which Almodòvar films are known for.
Still, this is likely the most stylish film about suicide ever made. Almodòvar‘s penchant for using vibrant colours can be noticed in almost every scene. Mood is often set by what the characters are wearing, or the contrast between the outfits and the set around them.
The black humour Almodòvar indulges in can also be seen throughout. Don’t let the fact the movie is literally about euthanasia lead you to believe it’s an outright downer. Rather, The Room Next Door aims to be a life affirming story in its own way. One which looks at the dark subject of cancer and also the troubled world that we live in today, helping us towards some kind of acceptance of it all.
The Room Next Door just doesn’t all come together as well as it should unfortunately. Humour or not though, this should still be an emotional roller-coaster of a film and yet, it’s hard to really feel anything for its hollow characters. The film barely brushes against the selfishness of what Martha is asking of Ingrid, and there’s little questioning of the morality of Ingrid and Martha‘s pact in the first place. Overall, it’s just very matter of fact and not all that engaging.
The Room Next Door has its fans and having won The Golden Lion for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival, clearly there’s plenty to love about it. It is a beautiful and at times hilariously sweet film about one of the bleakest subjects imaginable, with stellar performances by two of the best actors working today. But talented as they are, Moore and Swinton can’t elevate material as bereft of true heart as this is, making for a rare misstep from Pedro Almodòvar.
The Room Next Door is in cinemas this Boxing Day.