Talk to Her (2002)

Talk to Her (2002), written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, is a tenderly unsettling drama that follows two men whose lives intersect around two women kept in deep comas. Marco, a journalist, and Benigno, a quiet hospital nurse, form an unlikely friendship as they care for Lydia, a bullfighter, and Alicia, a young ballet student. The film moves fluidly between past and present, blending memory, fantasy and reality as each man’s devotion — compassionate, obsessive, and morally ambiguous — reshapes their identities and destinies. Visually vivid and emotionally precise, the movie explores themes of communication, loneliness, intimacy and the ethics of love when one party cannot respond. Almodóvar balances moments of dark humor with melancholy and eroticism, using theatrical and dance imagery to heighten the film’s dreamlike atmosphere. Javier Cámara’s performance as a devoted, obsessive caregiver (and his counterpart’s restrained grief) anchors a story that raises uncomfortable questions about devotion, consent and the limits of empathy. Awarded the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Talk to Her is at once moving and disquieting: viewers can expect a beautifully crafted, emotionally complex experience that lingers long after the credits, mixing compassion and transgression in equal measure.

Actors: Rosario Flores, Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti

Director: Pedro Almodóvar

Runtime: 112 min

Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance

7.1 /10 86 /100 7.9 /10 7.9 /10