SHEDDING INK

Talk To Her

As in most of his previous films, once again Almodóvar uses the power of coincidence to connect strangers with complementary circumstances, and the result is truly powerful, engrossing human drama. In this case, a nurse named Benigno with a healthy obsession (yes, healthy) for a comatose patient strikes up a friendship with a journalist named Marco whose bullfighter girlfriend was gored, resulting in her own coma. The plot is revealed in bits and pieces through time shifts from past to present, where Benigno and Marco's stories come together. Then Almodóvar takes the film in a delicate and somewhat unexpected direction, turning the story on an awkward and potentially repugnant subject matter handled with such grace and emotional honesty that it instead becomes a metaphor for the transforming power of true friendship and love, no matter how misguided. Talk to Her is anchored by brilliant performances from top to bottom, including Geraldine Chaplin sporting flawless Spanish in a minor role, not mention a thoroughly enchanting soundtrack of classical and Spanish music. Almodóvar even makes a bizarre and oddly touching foray into silent film. Talk to Her is easily his best film, and that's saying something.

- August 7, 2005

DVD Extras

The only extra is an audio commentary track by Almodóvar and Geraldine Chaplin.

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Talk To Her (2002)

Two men form a unique friendship while caring for two women tragically lost to deep comas.


Written and Directed by Pedro Almodóvar


Starring Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Rosario Flores, Leonor Watling, Geraldine Chaplin

112 minutes
Rated R (nudity, sexual content, language)

Movie: A
Extras: C