Pain and Glory
2019 · Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Original language: Spanish
- drama
The story
Salvador Mallo, a filmmaker in the twilight of his career, remembers his life: his mother, his lovers, the actors he worked with. The sixties in a small village in Valencia, the eighties in Madrid, the present, when he feels an immeasurable emptiness, facing his mortality, the incapability of continuing filming, the impossibility of separating creation from his own life. The need of narrating his past can be his salvation.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-drenched interiors and a richly saturated palette: ochre walls, pink and red fabrics, cobalt tile, and the deep glow of Madrid apartments lit by late window light. Almodóvar frames his rooms with a painter's care, often symmetrical and held in calm medium shots, while flashbacks to a whitewashed Valencian village shift into softer, dustier tones. The score is sparse and melodic, with piano and strings that rise gently rather than swell. The vibe is wistful and bittersweet, a melancholy that stays tender and often wry, best suited to a slow Sunday afternoon, a quiet evening alone, or a reflective rewatch. Pacing is unhurried and conversational, with long scenes of talk and memory that drift between past and present. Its emotional register is intimate and reflective, following an ageing filmmaker who slowly confronts his body, his regrets, and his old loves, and finds some peace in telling the story of his life. Intensity is low to moderate: there is no violence, but there are frank depictions of drug use, sexual content, and an adult treatment of desire and loss, handled with restraint and some humour. Made for viewers who enjoy character-driven, art-minded cinema about memory, creativity, and getting older.
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