Parallel Mothers Reviews

There is something about Pedro Almodóvar's Parallel Mothers, that is charming, mesmerizing and completely unsettling, all at the same time. The story of two mothers, who share a hospital room as they gave birth, evolves into a surreal tale of family and trauma. There is nothing overtly terrifying about the Spanish drama, but there lies deeper meaning in almost every scene. As the bizarre story weaves in and out, there is constant subtle commentary on the horrors of the Spanish Civil War. Very Hitchcockian in execution, Parallel Mothers is a near masterpiece of filmmaking, and one not to be forgotten for a very long time.Janis (Penélope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit) meet as roommates in a Barcelona hospital. Both women are prepared to raise their children alone. Janis, who separated from her father-to-be Arturo (Israel Elejalde), is getting older and thrilled to be blessed with a child. Ana, young and afraid, has no idea who the father of her baby girl is, and plans to live with her estranged mother, Teresa (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón). After the babies are born, the new mothers exchange information and go their separate ways. As time passes, their relationship and lives evolve in extremely unexpected ways.Almodóvar, who also pens the film, somehow manages to piece the story together so efficiently that the 123-minute run time seems to fly by. Every moment in the movie packs a significant punch, thanks to a magnificent score by Alberto Iglesias. The viewer will constantly find hope, fear, relief, and anguish in Iglesias' music, as Almodóvar uses this to great effect. The acting is also top-notch, Cruz and Smit have wonderful on-screen chemistry, and the peripheral cast is utilized very well. There is a flow to Parallel Mothers that is truly hard to replicate. The film explores bloodlines, what they mean, and what happens when they are phased out, all while telling a modern story about a parent's worst nightmares. The only downside here is the rapid sprint to the ending, where flashforwards can move a bit too quickly, and some of the relationship building is left out. As viewers are taken towards the final act, the movie kind of just, well, ends, with so many blanks left unfilled. Although much of the hidden information can be deduced, it would have been nice to see how some of the characters ultimately evolved.Though it might not be the easiest movie to emotionally stomach, the film teeters on the line of essential viewing. Almodóvar masterfully blends multiple genres into a tense, horrifying, dramatic thriller. With an aura of effortlessness, not many directors can pull off a film like this. Captivating, heartbreaking and hopeful, Parallel Mothers is a must-see feature.