Leid und Herrlichkeit

It deals with an aging director called Salvador Mallo in the twilight if his long career : Antonio Banderas/Pedro Almodovar , suffering chronical illness . The mature Salvador has seeen better days and he self-medicates between his continuous depression . Along the way , he reminds his mother : Penelope Cruz , his absent father : Raúl Arevalo , his sweet childhood in a village , his first crush on an adolescent , their home at a cave , the search for cinematic hits and happiness and several others incidents .

Typical Almodovar film with biographic remarks concerning a filmmaker , Almodovar alter-ego, who suffers ordinary pain and a mental blockade who impedes to write and shot movies . These incoveniences reflect on his life , as he reminds his past life , loves , shooting and finds old friends and a previous lover . At last , he has a reborn , and a creative salvation outbursts in the way of a self-biographic storyline . The plot happens between these two subplots , his childhood along with his mom : Peneope Cruz/Julieta Serrano and the longest : adulthood period in which Banderas/Almodovar has relations with other roles as Nora Navas playing his friend/helper , the stage actor played Asier Etxeandia , an ex-lover performed by Leonardo Sbaraglia , and a doctor interpreted by Pedro Casablanc. The magnificent cast give very good interpretations , Antonio Banderas is sensational imitating gestures , grimace and visage of Pedro Almodovar himself. And other actors as Etxeandia , Julieta Serrano as the aging mother , Cecilia Roth, Susi Sanchez , Cesar Vicente , Julian López , all of them deliver nice acting . And brief appearance by the great musical star Rosalía. Special mention for the colorful and evocative cinematography by Jose Luis Alcaine, Almodovar's regular . Being filmed on location in Paterna, Valencia, Aranjuez and Madrid . It contains adequate but sad musical score by Alberto Iglesias who has composed several soundtracks in Almodovar films . And , of course , adding Chavela Vargas' songs .

The motion picture was well directed by Pedro Almodovar in his usual style , being produced by his brother Agustín who appears in a cameo, as usual, and financed by their Production Company " El Deseo" . Being nominated for 2 Acaddemy Awards , another 68 wins and 161 nominations . This new Almodovar realization got success enough at boxoffice . Almodovar is deemed to be one of the best Spanish filmmakers. He has got a lot of hits with his dramas , such as : " Talk to her" , "Volver" , "The Flower of my Secret", "The Sin I live in" , "Abrazos Rotos" , "Carne Trémula" , "Tacones Lejanos", "Matador" , "Que he hecho para merecer esto" . But Almodovar also has made comedies as " Women on the Edge of Breakdown", "Kika" , "I am so excited" and "Pepi, Lucía and Boom" , among others . Rating 6.5/ 10. The picture will appeal to Pedro Almodovar enthusiasts .

Less bombastic than some of his previous work (which I also love, by the way), this bittersweet film shows the maturity of a director that's been around and seen it all, someone who's experienced both pain and glory and is asking himself what's next in life. In this partly autobiographical narrative, his most personal so far, Almodovar expresses some frustration with aging and with loneliness, but also his appreciation for the path that he's had the privilege to make for himself and continues to work on, and the people who are important to him. He succeeds in exploring nostalgia without succumbing to sappiness. If anything, Almodovar's senses and craft are sharper than ever. He's able to be critical and loving at the same time. I like how has evolved through the decades and that he keeps experimenting with different styles of storytelling. Antonio Banderas' award-worthy performance as the director's alter ego is understated, yet bold. Almodovar said in an interview that the choice was obvious, as Banderas is to him what Marcello Mastroianni was to Federico Fellini. And indeed there are some similarities between this film and '8 1/2': both films deal with the creative process. But whereas Fellini approaches the topic as a gladiator confronting obstacles with whip in hand, Almodovar is more low key and seems to point to tenderness as his weapon of choice.

I. Short review:

Half autobiographic, half fiction, Almodóvar's most intimate work is an european drama carved with humor and intense emotions you wouldn't want to miss, Antonio Banderas is a tour de force.

II. Full review:

Since this year's Cannes Film Festival celebration in which Pain and Glory competed for the Palm d'Or for best picture and supposedly the favorite to win, I took quite interest in Almodóvar's new film, also my personal experiences with two of his films that I've seen, 'Talk to Her' (which I think is an absolute masterpiece), and the very creative thriller 'The Skin I Live In' (also starring Antonio Banderas), were strong factors of that interest.

The film tells the story of a depressed and aching director that reconnects with old friends and people he used to care about, at the time that he reflects on his humble but enlightning past in several ways, all from the perspective of his gloomy and lonesome present.

Pain and Glory escalates in a ladder of triumphs, since its mesmerizing soundtrack by Alberto Iglesias (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), an astonishing cinematography by José Luis Alcaine, a masterful direction and gripping script by Pedro Almodóvar, to its top and greatest gift of all: a colossal performance by Antonio Banderas, which justifies his award for best actor in Cannes 2019.

It is a slow film, similar to life. I really enjoyed this movie, no one is clear what it is about until about and hour in. In simple terms is is film director who had lost his mojo because of the death of his mother and a back operations. He also begins to look back on his career and pivotal moments in his childhood. The flashback shots are perfectly and wonderfully capture the atmosphere of his young life while seamlessly interwoven with moments of present day.

Pain and glory is painful and glorious, as you'd except from a director who lives, suffers, enjoys and jogs his memory to find the small and grand moments of his human existence.

The acting of everyone was brilliant but limited so no Oscar here, Almodovar and Banderas are such a good match, the boy and the painter is such a delicate combination & the mother and the son in different moments of their lives, but mainly in the end, when they are both old. the dialogues are very meaningful, but movie as a whole had some profundity and was ravishingly shot as usual.

The story about the artistic crisis and depression. Once the noise of the glory goes away, there's nothing but emptiness and pain inside. Almodóvar has created this autobiographical masterpiece during his darkest and the most lonely moments in his life. It's different from everything that the genius had shared with the world before. Feeling of loneliness and pain in every scene, that makes a glory so unimportant and empty, when you have no one to share it with. The director made the audience hold the breath while he was speaking and sharing his most intimate secrets, his memories and regrets about the past.

Endless respect for Almodóvar for making this autobiographical movie so personal and sincere.