This had been languishing on my watch list, but my teammate mentioned it and I gave it a shot. There’s a lot packed in here, and there were multiple turns where it didn’t go where I expected. It has moments of a more conventional melodrama with secrets and dramatic revelations, but Almodóvar also puts a lot of big, universal themes onscreen—what it means to be a mother, certainly, but also family, grief, collective history, and what it means to find closure and healing. Ultimately the plot isn’t what grabs you—it’s Cruz’s performance, especially the way she conveys heartbreak and resignation.
A+ kitchen sets and cooking scenes. Made me miss the Spanish omelette at the Grove Street Diner in Jersey City.