All About My Mother [Todo Sobre Mi Madre]

Pedro Almodovar, Spain/France, 1999, 101 minutes

When Manuela's (Cecilia Roth's) only son Esteban is killed on the night of his 17th birthday she abandons her life in Madrid and returns to Barcelona determined to find his father and make amends for his absence from her son's life. Surrounded by Almodovar's usual cast of whores, transvestites and women in crisis, Manuela's escape from her life in Madrid is mirrored by the role of Huma Rojo (Marisa Paredes), her son's favourite actress, in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.

This film won a host of awards including the 2000 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and with the aid of the Best Director prize at Cannes gained Almodovar widespread recognition outside of his homeland. Almodvar's technical brilliance shines: his use of colour shows off Barcelona's narrow alleys and grand plazas beautifully, but this film's true excellence lies in the tender and touching treatment of motherhood in all its forms. Perhaps more subtle than previous Almodovar offerings, this movie marks a transition from the frenetic pace of his earlier films, but despite a complex and poignant plot is full of humour and warmth. The cast is superb, especially Antonia San Juan who cuts a darkly comic figure as La Agrado and Cecilia Roth whose steely strength and facial expressiveness evoke the screen goddesses to whom the film is dedicated.

More than just testament to Almodovar's technical skill as a writer and director, All About My Mother is an easy to watch and deeply enjoyable film and a fitting tribute to the women who shape us all.

Review by Rhian Powell
Written for EUFS Programme Autumn 2004

"I always rely on the kindness of strangers," drawls Blanche DuBois in the Tennessee Williams drama A Streetcar Named Desire. Pedro Almodovar's latest heroine, Manuela (Cecilia Roth), sits in a dark theatre, transfixed by these words and the impact they have had on her life. Streetcar has been a cornerstone of her existence - as a young actress, she met the father of her child while performing in a summer production of it. Nearly twenty years later, she accompanies her son Esteban to this same play, and afterwards watches him get struck by a car as they leave the theatre. Reeling from his premature death, Manuela packs her belongings and heads off to Barcelona, hoping to reconnect with Esteban's father, who has long since disappeared. It is during this time that she encounters an eclectic group of women - some old friends, some strangers - all of whom she comes to rely on for their love and kindness.

Although Almodovar has earned worldwide renown for his fast-paced, offbeat comedies, in All About My Mother he demonstrates a newfound maturity, balancing humour with keen insights on human nature. However, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown fans shouldn't let this scare them away - Almodovar's current film may be more contemplative, but it's definitely not boring. His penchant for bold, vibrant colours and even splashier characters continues to crop up in his latest work. Pregnant nuns, dope fiends, and divas are all part of the crowd that Manuela falls into. Antonia San Juan steals every scene she/he is in as La Agrado, the transvestite prostitute who used to live with Esteban's father. Cecilia Roth displays effortless grace as Manuela, and the rest of the cast is also impeccable.

Pedro Almodovar has dedicated this film to, among others, Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands, all actresses who have played actresses, and his mother. All About My Mother (for which he received the Best Director prize at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival) proves to be a fitting tribute to these grand dames.

Review by Beth Gilligan
Taken from EUFS programme spring 2000