Rent Talk to Her (2002)

Dubious - Talk to Her review by DF

On release in 2002 this movie received many, in my opinion, overblown reviews. The sort of reviews that are applied to movies from the likes of directors such as Almodovar and Allen, reverential and full of critic-babble. Yes, it is a good movie with good acting performances and an intriguing, but rather disturbing story line. It does follow themes of friendship and loneliness, but hardly 'romance'. In this movie, Almodovar focusses on male leads and the female leads are reduced to passivity. the characters Marco and Benigno are shown as emotionally sensitive, but also carry complicated psychological baggage. Benigno is, to say the least, strange and ultimately his behaviour is reprehensible. Almodovar's excursions into clever wit are not so much comedy, but more comical; Almodovar is not good with irony and this is evident in the b&w movie sequence. (The hospital featured is a bizarre set-up and hopefully not normal in Spain!) As a director's movie, it depicts a very personalised, but dubious, insight in relationships and sexuality. Nevertheless, the movie is worth watching.

Mediocre - Talk to Her review by CP Customer

I found this film a bit boring. I felt that there was not a story line that hooked me into the film. It transcurred too slowly. I was quite dissapointed.

Una pieza de resistancia de Almodovar? - Talk to Her review by PM

I had the good fortune to see this film not long after it was released and it made an indelible impression on me. I have to admit that the Cinema Paradiso version I have just rented ends in a substantially different way to the version that's embedded in my memory. It won't be the first time that my memory has played me tricks, but I would be interested to know if anyone else has the same experience.

Unlike some of Almodovar's other offerings, ( eg Women on the edge, & What have I done?) there is nothing farcical about the plot of this story. Although it's not without it's moments of good humour.

From the opening scene this is a film which challenges cultural assumptions about sexual behaviour and gender roles. It gives a contemporary illustration of Plato's principal theme in Phaedrus, the way in which "Love" (or, perhaps more properly; obsession), from well meaning intentions, can evolve into something injurious, and how this is not a matter subject to the control of individuals but is instead mediated by the powerful force of social convention. As with many of Almodovar's tales, it is an unlikely story, but never for a moment does the screenplay or the performance render it unbelievable. As with many other great films it resists any temptation to offer the audience a message, but attempts, succesfully IMHO, to present all the characters sympathetically and with understanding. The huge growth we have recently seen in the complexity of gender identity has perhaps made the film a little out of date, but that in no way detracts from it's value as a representation of the unseen forces that determine human destinies.