THE ROOM NEXT DOOR

Spain/US, 2024, 107 minutes, Colour.

Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola, Juan Diego Botto, Roel Arevalo, Victoria Wingo, Alex Hogh Andersen.

Directed by Pedro Almodovar.

After directing two films in English, including The Human Voice with Tilda Swinton, Spain’s most celebrated contemporary director, Pedro Almodovar, has now made his first full-length film in English. It is based on an American novel by Sigrid Nunzi. It won the Golden Lion in Venice, 2024, for Best Film.

One of the difficulties for Almodovar aficionados in watching the film is adapting to hearing English rather than Spanish. There were some complaints that the English dialogue sounded somewhat stilted. Whatever the complaints, the important focus is on the actresses who deliver the lines and the intensity of their performances.

The film opens with Ingrid, Julianne Moore, signing copies of her new book, learning that her friend from the past, Martha, Tilda Swinton, is in hospital for treatment for terminal cancer. At first the film works as two friends meeting again, reminiscing about the past, especially for flashbacks to Martha’s teenage years, her encounter with Fred and his experience of the Vietnam war, the birth of their daughter, Michelle.

So far, so expected in a portrait of strong female friendship.

However, the narrative then veers into medical, ethical, moral and legal questions about assisted suicide.

Audiences will have a range of views on this topic. One might note that if all there is in this life on earth, then why cannot individuals take their lives at the time they decide. For those who believe in the afterlife, there are many moral questions. And, there is the status of assisted suicide and euthanasia in different parts of the world in terms of legislation and criminality.

All these issues come to the fore but always in the context of the friendship. Martha is a strong-minded woman, mistakes in the past, but finding her fulfilment in life as a war correspondent, celebrated, but completely alienated from her daughter, her daughter always wanting to know more about her father, Martha unable to fulfil her daughter’s wishes. With some failure in the experimental treatment she is undergoing, she decides that she will end her life, her own decision, her own time, buying a euthanasia pill on the dark web, a woman who wants to end her life with control and dignity.

And, the room next door? Martha rents spectacular mention in upper New York state, asking Ingrid to be with her, not participating in the suicide itself, but assisting in making the last days of Martha’s life days of content. Ingrid is quite emotional, hesitant at first, fearful of death itself, going along with Martha’s plans, but needing some kind of outlet, a sympathetic trainer at the gym, the reappearance of an old flame who has strong views on everything, John Turturro.

And, there is the plan for dealing with the police, denying knowledge, set answers, legal support. There is an unsympathetic police investigation by Alessandro Nivola.

Almodovar wants the audience to appreciate the issue, the emotions, the moral issues, personal responsibility and independence.

However, for the average audience, while this important issue is dramatised on screen, the setting is affluent, very affluent, American society, healthcare and drugs available, the comforts of wealth and a mansion to die in, not the ordinary experience of most moviegoers, an important issue but in another world of which they will never be part.

And, as expected, the final scenes will leave the audience confirmed in beliefs about assisted suicide or challenged ethically, legally, morally.

1. The films of Pedro Almodovar, his Spanish sensibility, his films over the decades, continuing his themes, the focus on women, the focus on sexuality, homosexuality, the Catholic church, religion? Now in English language, in the US context? And the theme of death?
2. The New York settings, the book signing, apartments, hospitals, restaurants? The New York State countryside, Woodstock, the mansion, interiors, the gym, restaurants? The musical score?
3. The first part of the film and the friendship between the two women? The strong presence of Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore? Working together? Establishing Ingrid as an author, the art world, writing for magazines, the success, apprehensions about death? Encountering stellar, the news of Martha’s illness? Visiting Martha, the past friendship, working together, Martha and her work correspondence (and the flashbacks, the dangers, with the photographer, encountering the two Carmelites), her relationship with her daughter, the flashbacks to the scenes with Fred, the Vietnam war, PSD, the night together, his leaving, marrying, the fire and his death? Martha and the alienation from a daughter, her daughters questioning about her father?
4. Martha and the flashbacks to the war, the discussions with the photographer,
5. Martha, Almodovar’s themes of sexuality, homosexuality, the two Carmelites, the relationship, the discussion about war, vows, sexuality in the context of war and destruction?
6. Her illness, the diagnosis, the medical staff, the experiments, partial success, ultimately not successful, to continue with the procedures or not? The issue of death, planning her death, the pill from the dark web, her plan?
7. Ingrid, her own story, memories of Damien, Damien and his relationship with Martha, the renewed friendship with Martha, talking, listening, sharing? The proposal about assisting at the suicide? Martha saying she had asked others, appreciating Ingrid’s apprehensions about death?
8. Ingrid, her dilemma, emotional response, values response, moral and ethical response, legal issues? Are pondering, the decision?
9. Martha, the renting of the mansion, comfortable, the plan for the room next door, Ingrid choosing the downstairs room? And packing, settling in, the time together, further reminiscences? Martha and her strong determination cop the time of her own choice, not wanting to compromise Ingrid legally, the plan for the police? Her leaving the letter for Ingrid, the letter for the police?
10. Martha, the emotional effect, coping and not, going to the gym, the sympathetic trainer, unable to hug, but her feeling hardened? The encounter with Damien, the conversations, his offer of legal help?
11. The signal for the door to be open or shut, Ingrid seeing the door shut, her grief, and discovering the wind had blown the door shut? Her going out, the time with Damien, Martha deciding that this was the time, setting everything up, going out to sit peacefully, her death?
12. Ingrid discovering her, grief, the letter, contacting Damien, the interrogation by the police, the officer and his faith and strip perspective, not believing Ingrid? The lawyer coming, planning to file a complaint against the officer?
13. Damien, the past, relationships, sexuality, with Martha, with Ingrid, his talk, no questions, his philosophy, doom, the end of the world? The legal support for Ingrid?
14. Leaving Ingrid with the emotional experience, the legal experience, her own values? And the audience response, depending on their attitude towards an afterlife or no afterlife, the right to end life, emotional, legal, ethical and moral perspectives for decisions?