This film tells a deeply personal story of a film director. I particularly like the scenes of his struggle with his health, and his encounter with the ex lover.
I have been a great Almodovar fan and always followed him. But lately this has started to change.
Those familiar with Pedro Almodóvar's earlier works will recognise his distinctive gentle, subtle, and movingly nostalgic directing style, but here it is perfected in a layered and gorgeous film. Almodóvar's writing and Antonio Banderas' excellent performance carry the film, but Alberto Iglesias' score continuously strums, creating a rich companion for some of the finer cinematography of José Luis Alcaine.
I like Banderas, specially in this movie. Its a simple story, but filled with human emotion and relationships.
Pain and Glory demonstrates Almodóvar's growth as a person and director. Many of the elements that make a film unique to Almodóvar are present here, highlighting on the intimacy between Salvador and his past loves.
Noted Spanish director Pedro Almodovar is back with a semi-autobiographical meditation on a successful filmmaker's quest to remain creative and relevant in middle age. His protagonist, Salvador Mallo (an intense and moving Antonio Banderas), now 69, presents an overall goal of finding his joie de vivre again after losing it due to physical illness but before he begins his journey, we're presented with his ordinary world, consisting of a series of colorful graphics that illustrate the nature of these debilitating physical illnesses he suffers from.
Almodovar is a master of the spanish cinema - he is now 70 years old and this piece of film is a really personal portrait of his own life. Silent narrated and full of emotions.
Superb film by Almodovar. Undoubtedly one of his best works.
Very subdued and subtle, beautiful colours and sets, intensely personal, thematically rich - pain, glory (aptly titled), the pain of glory, sacrifice, solitude, spite and regret, fateful desire..., dreamy, wistful performance by Banderas.
