REVIEW: THE ROOM NEXT DOOR

4/5

Death Becomes Her

106 Mins. Starring: Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, John Turturro & Alessandro Nivola. Screenplay: Pedro Almodóvar. Director: Pedro Almodóvar. In: Theatres. 

Make room for this open door the next time you head to theatres. Even if Oscar hasn't. The biggest Oscar snub this side of a gladiatorial and villainous Denzel Washington, is 'Woman On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown' and 'All About My Mother' legendary director Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language full-length feature film, 'The Room Next Door'. Almodóvar wanted multiple Oscar's for this 'Room', like Brie Larson, especially for its dual leads, the incredible and influential Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore. And he was right, although neither received as much as a nomination...let alone an apology. Maybe this is more to do with the fallout from the subject-matter of Julianne's 'May December', last year. A Netflix movie you still can't see on the streaming service here in Japan, or back home in the U.K. 'Next Door' is much ado about something akin to another Todd Haynes movie 'Carol', based on the Patricia Highsmith's 'The Price Of Salt'. And Daniel Craig finding himself in 'Queer', another film that needs more exposure.

Yet, this love story is one of the deep bond of friendship. As Pedro, Tilda and Julianne prove to be a Holy Trinity like another snubbed best picture in Netflix's grief-stricken 'His Three Daughters'. Perhaps that's the point. Dealing with the death, this film is a lot to take. Boy, do I know how to spend my Saturday nights. Tears streaming down my face in a Japanese cinema, when maybe I should have stayed at home and chilled with Netflix (boy, do I know how to spend my Saturday nights). Still, so subtle and beautiful and powerfully profound like the brief 'Portrait Of Tilda' moment, to match the solitary, but no longer 'Nighthawks' lonely, Edward Hopper sun-lounging lawn chair painting. This will hit you harder than the great gold of any Oscar, which is Gatsby compared to the woman that roar in our new twenties, just as desperate. Based on Sigrid Nunez's novel, 'What Are You Going Through', this isn't just one of the best pictures of the year. It's film art that will stay with you long after you've lingered around post-credits, like Japanese cinema goers do here out of respect. Take note, Oscar.

Almodóvar's amazing art takes us from a New Yorker minute to a rental home to die for...literally. 'War Requiem' star Tilda Swinton's former war journalist has one last battle...with cervical cancer. And armed with a resolute will and a pill off the dark web, she will go quietly into the night...but on her own terms. The versatile star of everything from 'Edward II', 'Michael Clayton' and 'Burn After Reading', to 'We Need To Talk About Kevin', 'Only Lovers Left Alive' and 'Snowpiercer' (not to mention many a Wes Anderson) enlists the help of her friend and 'Still Alice' Oscar winner, Julianne Moore to be by her side to the end. Another writer (this time of the type you'd find in The Strand) who in some sort of twisted fate is absolutely petrified of death. Hear, hear...like you wouldn't believe. So if I can give this, the kind of day, you can too, Academy. Both actresses amaze, and there's nothing between them. Perhaps that's why they didn't join all the 'Emilia Pérez' nominations. But then Swinton swiftly changes everything in the third act of a real twist. Everybody's favourite John Turturro is also on hand, along with Alessandro Nivola's hard on the case cop character, charging more than his 'Kraven The Hunter' Rhino. But nothing can get between 'The Room Next Door' and the two that occupy it. 'Till death do them part. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'May December', 'Talk To Her', 'His Three Daughters'.