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Hable con ella (Talk To Her) Tyler Haney
The most important ingredient in a successful relationship is communication. This age-old tidbit everyone knows. But few people take the time to actually communicate. The title of Pedro Almodovar's latest film represents more than a simple command or request. Sure, when times are tough it's easy to say what is right; it's much harder to do what is right. Sometimes, life feels much tougher than words. It's hard to simply talk to her (or him). Hable con ella (Talk To Her), Almodovar's follow up to 1999's Todo sobre mi madre (All About My Mother), takes us to a whole new realm of the Almodovarian universe. The director, known for his compassionate and unafraid style, has in the past steered more towards women and their stories. The results have been both refreshing and, at times, profound. Women, in most films and literature, are never given the time and effort they deserve. Almodovar doesn't lose this attitude in Hable con ella so much as he touches upon it indirectly. Rather than focus on women, this time Almodovar's story is about the men who love them. Two stories intertwine, bringing together characters from different lifestyles and revealing their commonalities. Marco (Dario Grandinetti) is a reporter sent to write a story on Lydia (Rosario Flores), Spain's most popular and successful female bullfighter. After a zany first night together an attraction develops between them. Both Marco and Lydia have recently been through tough breakups and are, at first, somewhat resistant to their budding attraction. Hours before a bullfight, Lydia tells Marco that they need to talk. Marco, aware of what she means, agrees. However, during the fight the bull mauls Lydia, sending her into a coma. At the hospital, Marco befriends Benigno (Javier Camara), a male nurse in charge of taking care of another coma victim, Alicia (Leonor Watling). Benigno, who knew Alicia sparingly before the accident, has become very close to her over the years. Marco is baffled at how Benigno speaks to Alicia as if she were just another person. The doctor, an all too honest man, tells Marco that scientifically there is no way for these comatose people to awake. Yet, this news does not affect Benigno's behavior. He talks to Alicia. He talks to her because he truly loves her. It is this love, he believes, that will revive her. Almodovar's dialogue is as poignant as ever. The conversations are all subtle and realistic. The two men form a deep friendship and, at the same time, unintentionally aid each other. Marco, who is reluctant to speak to Lydia, is able to tell Benigno all he would say to her if only he were convinced she could hear. Benigno, on the other end, finally is allowed to speak to someone who understands his love for Alicia and will not judge. Marco and Benigno's encounters gain strength throughout the film's course, all building to their final scene which is perhaps one the most beautiful, touching and powerful scenes between two males ever written. The director's penchant for offbeat sub-scenes is ever present is Hable con ella. The bullfighting scenes, dance scenes, and an obscure silent film (which Benigno watches and tells Alicia all about) add layers of depth to the story. Like most of Almodovar's films, everything has some intended meaning. These small scenes, especially the silent film, allow for a greater understanding of each of the characters. Almodovar weaves a delicate tapestry of both metaphor and direct action and dialogue. Yet, the film's meaning is never lost or obscured. In the end, what sets Hable Con Ella apart from all American films this year is its power to move. The love Benigno has for Alicia is so powerful that when, at one point, he tells Marco he wishes to marry her, the request does not seem absurd. The love Marco has for Lydia is shown by his ability to let her go. And as the film's ending suggests, the power of love and communication can perform miracles. Where before I have called Almodovar the best feminist filmmaker in the world, I must revise. Almodovar is quite simply the world's best filmmaker when it comes to making pictures about human relationships, about love. Right now, the director is arguably the best filmmaker in the world period. Like its director, Hable con ella celebrates the beauty and simple power of words, of relationships, of love. It's one of the year's best films.
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