All About My Mother
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Movie Reviews of All About My Mother
Movie Review: It's a womens' world-even the men want to be women!
Summary: 5 Stars
The death by accident of a mother's much loved son compels her to go to Barcelona and inform the father, who doesn't even know of the boy's existence. Finding the father is not so easy and by going to Barcelona, the mother digs back into a world she had left behind in order to bring up her son. It is a sordid but colourful world with transvestite prostitutes, junkies, an AIDs riddled nun, divas, and the usual associates of one's past. Remember that this is Almodovar, not Ivory-Merchant. However, these people are not displayed as freaks, but portrayed sympathetically. Almodovar celebrates their lives. He does not pass judgement.Like other Almodovar films, the complex story line shows the strains that pull apart and bring together relationships. The emotional lives of the characters are laid bare. While there may be melodrama, there is a strict avoidance of sentimentality. The acting is wonderful, especially Cecilia Roth, who for some reason reminds me of the British actress, Hannah Gordon.
My only criticism is the use of coincidence. This is also a feature of other Almodovar's films; but here he stretches it a bit far. For instance, first the Cecilia Roth character steps in to take the part of an actress in a professional stage play, to great acclaim, and then when she leaves it, her transvestite friend, who as far as I know has never acted in his life, effortlessly takes over. This is a small criticism. "All About My Mother" is a splendid film by a great film maker. Without being a dreary feminist polemic, it is a celebration of women in all their roles: as mothers, as lovers, as carers; and to those who want to be women. Warmly recommended.
Movie Review: A very poignant film about motherhood
Summary: 5 Stars
All About My Mother is a very well written and thought provoking film. The film centers around the character of Manuela, a woman whom devotes her love and her life to her only child, Esteban. One night a car runs over her son , devestating her and causing her to reflect upon one of her sons wishes, to meet his father.Esteban wrote in a journal which he kept by his side "This morning I looked through my mother's bedroom until I found a stack of photographs. All of them were cut in half. My father, I suppose. I have the impression that my life is missing that same half. I want to meet him, I don't care who he is, or how he treated my mother. No one can take that right away from me."
She never told Esteban who his father was, "your father died long before you were born" was all she ever told him. In memory of her son, Manuela leaves Madrid and goes to Barcelona in search of his father. We learn through the course of the film that she had met Esteban while playing Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. She left with Esteban, never telling the man about his son who she named after him before the man changed his name to Lola.
During the search, Manuela comes into contact with many characters and enriches each and every one of their lives. Without giving away too much of the film, the central character brings many people together and teaches the importance of being dedicated to your children and one another despite whatever may occur in this world. It also teaches a great deal about the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. The ending is both happy and hopeful.
Movie Review: A Visually Beautiful & Emotionally Charging Film
Summary: 5 Stars
"All About My Mother" is simply divine. The story of a woman going in search of her ex-husband, also father of her son and meeting a group of neurotic women on the way only to act as a mother figure to all of them--is stunning.Cecilia Roth's performance as the lead, Manuela, is driven, passionate, and raw. Penelope Cruz's troubled nun Rosa is young, sweet, and hopeful, even in the midst of complete despair. As Huma Rojo, Marisa Paredes gives a first-class performance as a Dramatic Diva whose love for her ruthless costar Nina (who is "hooked on junk") motivates all of her dying emotions. And Antonia San Juan offers both comic relief and some self-esteem lessons to us all as the lovable transvestite La Agrado. And Manuela's doomed son, Esteban (the performer's name escpaes me) gives a gut wrenching, beautiful portrayal of the dreamer inside of all us.
As for Almodovar's work--how visually stunning the cinematography is--obviously orchestrated to pull out every ounce of color, the dominant red and blue hues in the film set a tone of sadness, fury, passion, and distress.
By the end of this film, there is so much to be said in terms of its themes and references to such classic films/theatrical shows such as "All About Eve," an obvious sketch for the theatrical life in the show, and "A Streetcar Named Desire" is an outlet in many ways for all of the characters--but there are so many routes to take in analyzing this film...it is full of love, hate, loss, motherhood, and friendship. Definitely recommended to all of you out there who have feelings.
Movie Review: A Great Spanish Film and Director Steal Americans' Hearts
Summary: 5 Stars
I do not have this exact version of the movie, but the original Spanish one ("Todo Sobre Mi Madre") that I bought in Spain. However, they are probably a lot alike and the Spanish version isn't listed on Amazon so I will review this one anyway. :) This movie is fantastic. Pedro Almovadar is in my opinion one of the best directors in the world. I was so glad when he won the award for best foreign film, because he totally deserves it, if only on the basis of this film if not for his other ones. The movie is extremely well-directed and well-acted. It shows the many different angles and perspectives on life, and has many deep implications. It is intensely sad and moving, and I guarantee that you will think a lot about it for a long time after you watch it. The plot is captivating and complex, so you will want to own the DVD and watch it more than once. The film also has great actors, starring the Spanish beauties Cecilia Roth and Penelope Cruz (who is now crossing over to Hollywood with her new movie, Woman on Top). I am glad that Pedro Almovadar's popularity has caught on in the States, for this is a director worthy of praise from all film lovers, and his talent surpasses that of many American directors. This is my favorite Spanish film (and there are a lot of good, if hard to find, ones out there), and one of my favorite films in any category. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a refreshingly unique and complex look at life and who wants to see many different aspects of it successfully explored on film.Movie Review: Truth is beyond any preset limits
Summary: 5 Stars
You must be Spanish today to be able to produce such a film entirely dedicated to the concept of the « son ». The real son who was born, raised and educated by his mother, because of the total absence of the father, because the father is not « presentable » to the son, because teh father is a semi-transexual transvestite, what's more addicted to heroin and infested with AIDS. The film becomes poignant, a lot more than sentimental, compassionate, pathetic or any thing else of the kind, when one mother who has just lost her teenage son from this father meets with a nun who is carrying the not yet born son of this very same father. It could become bleak since the new mother is HIV positive, or even densely black since she dies during delivery, and yet it remains luminous when the father discovers the truth about his first son and then discovers his second son, a few weeks before he, this father, dies. This luminosity is multiplied because an actress who is performing Blanche in « A Streetcar Named Desire », brings into the film all the dense meaning conveyed by this situation and the author of the play. Never the film becomes critical. Never the film hides or distanciates the situation and the professions of some of these newly born « women ». Never the film becomes gross or sickening. It is a master piece on a fundamental and essential problem in our societies, a problem that concerns millions and millions of people, men, women and children alike : gender identity and AIDS. To hide it would be a crime.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU