Movie Review: Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A+

Pedro Almodóvar is one of my favorite directors and Parallel Mothers is one of his best films. 

The basic storyline of this film sounds like it could feel a bit like a soap opera, but as you watch the movie it does not come off this way at all. The reason for this is the pure sincerity and honesty put into this movie. In other words, this movie feels completely real without a single moment that rings false. Much of the reason for this comes from the main character herself. In lesser hands this character would have simply gone through the same emotions any movie character would in the same situation with no more depth than that. However, this character deals with many conflicting emotions This is a fully fleshed out character who overcomes any melodramatic overtones of the plot and becomes a completely real person. Much of this is due not only to Almodóvar's excellent script but an incredible performance by Penélope Cruz (her 7th film with Almodóvar). Almodóvar has referred to Cruz as muse and two always bring out the absolute best in each other every time they work together. This could not be clearer than in this film as Cruz gives perhaps the finest performance of her career. This is not an easy role to play but she plays it too perfection, both capturing the broad moments and the subtle with seemingly effortless ease. Not that she is the only one in cast worth noting as the entire cast is perfect in their roles. Young Milena Smit (in only her second feature film) is incredible as Ana, a young woman who our main character meets at the hospital while pregnant, but who will come to play a much larger role in her life. Smit and Cruz share incredible chemistry with each other and really light up the screen whenever they share it. This is certainly an actress to pay attention to. Pedro Almodóvar's script is incredibly well handled. This is not a movie in which you can predict anything that is going to happen. Yet Almodóvar wisely avoids anything that would make it feel too melodramatic. Instead, everything that happens no matter how unlikely feels like the most natural thing in the world. There are times when you can almost forget you are watching a fictional movie but instead feel you are watching the lives of these two women. This is also one of Pedro Almodóvar's most political films. This too is handled masterfully. It never feels like the characters stop to sermonize to you but instead these political points are told in the most natural and unobtrusive way. They are also incredibly intelligent and will leave you with food for thought as you leave the theater. While they do deal with the political history of Spain, you don't have to be familiar with that history to be affected by the powerful message behind this movie because it speaks not only to specific political events but great human truths that are often ignored and those are universal and timeless. All of this leads to an ending image that is simply cinematic perfection. 

This may be my favorite movie of 2021 and it is certainly a must see for any other fans of one of Spain's finest directors.