Rent All About My Mother on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Pedro Almodóvar
Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Candela Peña, Penélope Cruz
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Young Esteban wants to become a writer and also to discover the identity of his second mother, a trans woman, carefully concealed by his mother Manuela.
Verdict
Intertwining stories about former and new friends dealing with grief and sorrow from various causes. This treats characters with care, humanizing them in a situation that seems like it's ripped from a tabloid. You feel empathy for these characters, and you want to watch and see what happens to them.
Watch it.
Review
This wastes no time. A tragedy causes Manuela to search for her son's father, returning to Barcelona where she left everything behind years ago. While the tragedy is telegraphed, it's not the focus. I wasn't sure if Manuela left the scene to raise a son, leave a bad situation, or a bit of both. She's never told her son about his father.
It almost stretches credibility that all of these characters' stories cross in the way depicted. Many movies use transgender characters as a way to sensationalize, but the movie depicts each character as human, revealing their hopes and faults. Each character is trying to make the best of their situation. That makes for an engrossing plot.
Manuela meets her old friend Agrado whom her husband robbed. They meet Rosa, a nun who is having Lola's baby. They're all connected through sorrow and grief.
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