Parallel Mothers (2021) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar
Written by: Pedro Almodóvar
Starring: Penélope Cruz, Milena Smit, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Israel Elejalde, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma
Runtime: 120 min
Synopsis: Two women, Janis (Penélope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit), coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident. Janis, middle-aged, doesn't regret it and she is exultant. The other, Ana, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatized. Janis tries to encourage her while they move like sleepwalkers along the hospital corridors. The few words they exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and complicates, and changes their lives in a decisive way.
I've never lied about my film experience. I don't believe in the often elitist superiority that some people feel because they've watched more movies than someone else. Every critic has their own focus, so it's only natural that the so-called "holes" exist differently in each journalist's career. Therefore, I've no problems sharing that I don't know Pedro Almodóvar's work besides 2019's Pain and Glory. In all honesty, my fingers might be enough to quantify my viewings of Spanish cinema. Nevertheless, this doesn't forbid me from enjoying any Spanish flick, especially when they're so well-made as Parallel Mothers.
I didn't know anything about the film besides its synopsis and crew. The premise seemed interesting enough, but I didn't anticipate such an emotionally impactful, powerful story that starts with two mothers who meet at the hospital before giving birth. Their pasts hold vastly different personal experiences that shaped their distinct personalities and life goals. However, in a narratively compelling yet a tad too soap-opera-ish manner, their futures merge through some shocking turn of events. Three key plot points hold immense emotional weight that the two main actresses carry seamlessly.
Penélope Cruz (Murder on the Orient Express) knows precisely what to do in each scene, delivering an experienced performance as Janis, the middle-aged mother who couldn't be happier for her baby to be born. Most of the screentime is spent with Janis trying to figure out how to balance motherhood with her job and love life, which leads her to make some life-changing discoveries. Milena Smit (Cross the Line) appears on the big screen only for the second time in her career, offering a convincing interpretation of Ana, the adolescent who feels regretful and frightened about the inevitability of being about to become a mom.
Almodóvar doesn't waste time with irrelevant dialogues or unnecessary drama. Every story development has a comprehensible origin and a satisfying payoff, even an admittedly uninteresting yet culturally rich subplot involving Janis' family and their ancestors. Evidently, parenthood brings the overall theme of family into the spotlight. No character is flawless, and Almodóvar purposefully focuses on the imperfect mothers, showing the audience that every decision made by a parent in this movie isn't as simple as some people might think it really is.
From suspending their own personal lives and dreams to the lack of emotional support, Parallel Mothers depicts the eponymous parallelism between the two protagonists - and other parents - through their actions and moral choices. Other topics such as feminism, domestic abuse, and even rape are approached, but the most captivating element of the screenplay is connected to the mothers and how their fates align together.
Technically, I appreciate that Almodóvar chooses to keep it simple, truly leaving the two pillars of filmmaking - story and characters - to take the viewer on an encouraging journey. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but find Alberto Iglesias' score too monotonous. It brings the film down instead of elevating some of the big moments. Teresa Font's editing and transitions also lack inspiration. All put together, it strangely doesn't quite feel like a proper feature, having too many common components with some TV programs. Still, it doesn't negatively affect the overall picture that much.
Final Thoughts
Parallel Mothers holds an unexpectedly shocking narrative about motherhood, featuring two remarkable performances from Penélope Cruz and Milena Smit. Despite some dull soap-opera moments and a few uninspiring technical attributes, Pedro Almodóvar offers a captivating, genuine, emotionally powerful story that puts the spotlight on imperfect mothers. Boasting clear direction and a no-nonsense approach, the eponymous parallelism is continuously present throughout the runtime, making this a consistent viewing. Definitely, a worthy awards contender for Spain.
