Hable con Ella

English title: Talk to Her
Genre: psychological drama
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Release: 2002
Studio: El Deseo - Sony Pictures Classics
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.7/10


Life, Death And That Something In Between


After witnessing a tragedy, novelist Marco Zuluaga (Dario Grandinetti) befriends Benigno Martin (Javier Cámara), a hospital worker taking care of a comatose patient named Alicia. With Leonor Watling (Alicia Roncero), Rosario Flores (Lydia Gonzalez), Geraldine Chaplin (Katarina), Mariola Fuentes (Rosa) and Lola Dueñas (Matilde). Includes a bonus performance by Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso.

In other circumstances, I would apologize for the vagueness of my synopsis but, in this case, there was reason for it: HABLE CON ELLA defies description. Once you see it, you will understand why I kept its mysteries under wraps and, hopefully, the film’s peculiar magic will stay with you for weeks on end. To fall under its spell, you only need patience and a little empathy, for HABLE CON ELLA is the kind of film that slowly confounds you as life always does with its mind-bending meanders and ever-changing dynamics. Trust Pedro Almodovar, with his fertile imagination and storytelling prowess, to pull off such an immaculate and almost metaphysical study about life, love and yearning.

Of course, the movie bears Almodovar’s unmistakable trademarks: a wildly original story-line, crisp visuals and stylistic flair, outrageous dialogues and situations inspired by TV soap operas and a few well-deserved jabs about sensationalism in the media. But what struck me most was its cast, those four characters who drive the story with their quirky seriousness. You’ll enjoy Marco’s company and appreciate Benigno’s dedication but, as is often the case with Almodovar, you will be fascinated by the ladies in the story. Lydia, the hotheaded young woman who fights bulls and men with equal energy, shows the impetuousness of a wounded animal and the same disregard for risk. As for Alicia, the dancer now stranded in a coma, you will be attracted to her like a moth to a flame; her enigmatic presence remains a challenge to both life and death, an intriguing riddle that intoxicates the mind… rarely will you see a movie character exude so much power while accomplishing so little. I could add, to compensate for my rather elliptical synopsis, that one of our characters harbours deep secrets but, as in THE CRYING GAME, there is nothing to be gained by revealing them ahead of time. On the negative side, there are a couple of coincidences in the script that may seem forced but, even for a nitpicker like myself, they rank as minor – if not minute – annoyances.

There you have it. From the get-go, I never doubted that HABLE CON ELLA was a major work and you won’t either. With pictures, sound and intelligence, Almodovar has fashioned a loving ode to women and an impossibly good movie for all of us cinephiles.


MBiS

© 2009 – All rights reserved