Talk To Her


Starring Javier Camara, Darío Grandinetti, Rosario Flores, Leonor Watling, Geraldine Chaplin, Adolfo Fernandez, Javier Conde. Directed by Pedro Almodovar.

Benigno (Camara) watches the ballet "Cafe Mueller" and notices a man moved to tears by the production. Benigno lived with his mother, who recently passed away, and now lives alone. He works as a nurse in a private clinic, taking care of coma patients. He currently is attending to Alicia (Watling), constantly talking and reading to her. Alicia used to be a dancer, and is regularly visited by her dance teacher Katerina (Chaplin). Benigno had a connection with Alicia prior to her coming to the clinic.

Marco (Grandinetti) is in his early forties and works as a travel journalist. He gets assigned to interview a female bullfighter Lydia (Flores), who has just endured a messy breakup with fellow bullfighter Nino (Fernandez). Instead of Marco getting a story, he begins a relationship with her. But in an accident, Lydia ends up in a coma and at the private clinic Benigno works in. Marco stays with Lydia for weeks at the hospital, and he and Benigno become friends. In the months that follow, their lives intertwine in surprising and sometimes heartbreaking ways, through both tragedies and miracles.

Talk to Her is an original, consistently surprising story about the friendship between two men, and the effects of loneliness on people. It is a hard film to describe - not a whole lot of action happens, and the pace would be described as leisurely with a few jolts of energy here and there. As time passed I was drawn into it more and more. I think it is because the story moves in unexpected directions so it was difficult to anticipate what was to happen next. The film excels in characterization, in revealing with time-shifting narratives secrets and details of each of the characters' lives. Benigno has never had a woman, and the only woman he can talk to freely to is Alicia, revealing his feelings and personal thoughts to a woman he could never hope to attain if she was awake. Marco still can't forget the woman that left him over a decade ago after he had nursed her through an illness, and he is unable to talk to Lydia as she lies in her coma because he feels, although her body still functions, her mind and soul have left her.

Talk To Her's effectiveness hinges on empathy with the characters, and for me that empathy carried all the way through, despite some pretty horrible acts committed by at least one of the characters. Three performances stand out. Javier Camara poignantly reveals the desperation of loneliness, as his whole life becomes Alicia and taking care of her. Darío Grandinetti, a veteran Argentinian actor playing an Argentinian living in Spain, is the lynchpin of the film, whom all characters and action revolves around. He conveys a variety of emotions as the still heartbroken journalist who can't get over his first love. Lenore Watling lies there for most of the film, except for a few flashbacks, but it is easy to see why Benigno falls in love with her - living and in a coma, she is radiant, exuding vulnerability.

Talk To Her is a thoughtful, at times magical film about relationships, the difficulty in getting over past loves and difficulty in communication. In this season of quality films, this is an art film that is worth making an effort to find.




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