The Room Next Door (2024)

Two women were friends in their youth when they both worked on the same magazine but their lives took different paths. Ingrid ((Julianne Moore) became a writer while Martha (Tilda Swinton) became a war correspondent. Years later they meet again when Martha is dying of cancer. Based on the novel WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH by Sigrid Nunez and directed by Pedro Almodovar (VOLVER) in his first film in the English language. Death! The subject everyone doesn't want to talk about, to confront and to deal with. Moore's writer has issues with the subject and avoids the topic but when her good friend is dying, she doesn't have a choice and must deal with it. If this sounds like a "chick flick" weepie, it isn't. BEACHES it's not. Almodovar brings a mixture of poignance and low keyed humor to the subject but puts a very real face on death. When the movie reaches its final moments, it's lovely and touching and Almodovar doesn't jerk any tears. Tissues are not required. Swinton gives another superb performance and Moore hasn't been this great in years. With John Turturro and Alessandro Nivola.