1 post tagged “almodovar”

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988):
THE PREMISE: A woman's lover leaves her with no explanation, and she steadily attempts to contact him with growing desperation.
THE CONTINUATION: Fuck the premise.
PROCEED TO: Diverge wildly with glamour and spirit.

Women on the Verge of Nervous Breakdown had all the hallmarks of a potentially unbearable and melodramatic film. Exotic foreign pedigree! Impeccable critical praise! The promise of mental instability! Baby mama drama! But Almodovar neatly bypasses all expectations to create a sort of super-glossy, candy-dipped, mega-telenova comprised of a revolving (and interesting!) cast and a mad-cap plot. Women on the Verge explodes with exuberance, but even the wildest moments are tempered by Almodovar's steady and sure direction. While Almodovar likes to play on the edges, the film never veers out of control, and the effect is more of a well-coordinated explosion. Furthermore, the movie has a finer grain than any old slapstick comedy; there is a well of bitterness and resignation, that gives some of the laughs a noticeably darker edge and Women on the Verge a richer overall tone.

Women on the Verge  is far from a perfect film, but its flaws seem more like personal quibbles, and they're quickly overwhelmed by the sheer energy of the final product.