Dolor y gloria (Pain and Glory)
2019
***½
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Nora Navas, Julieta Serrano, Penélope Cruz, Asier Flores, César Vicente, Cecilia Roth
Salvador Mallo is a celebrated film auteur whose many medical problems have rendered him unable to work. As Salvador starts using heroin to numb his pain, he takes us on a walk down the memory lane. Like Bad Education (2004) and Broken Embraces (2009), Pedro Almodovar's deeply autobiographical drama deals with life, love, regrets, movies, and moviemaking. This may not be his strongest work, but it delivers a subtle and cleverly constructed personal story in beautiful vibrant colours. Antonio Banderas gives a very fine lead performance.
