The Room Next Door

The Room Next Door
Starring Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola
Directed by Pedro Almodovar

What does it mean to be a friend? Does it mean we hang out here and there, go out for coffee or dinner, maybe help move in times of need? What if a friendship goes beyond that, to a moment that seems almost impossible to consider? Would you be that friend to help someone end their suffering, even though it means not just losing them forever, but facing possible legal implications because of it?

Ingrid (Julianne Moore) is a successful author who has an apprehension for death, writing books on the subject, and during a book signing she meets a friend who tells her that her estranged friend Martha (Tilda Swinton) is facing cancer, and Ingrid sets out to reconnect. When they do, its like no time has passed, and Martha tells Ingrid her stories as a war journalist and her estranged daughter. Although it seems Martha is getting better, it's the opposite, and things are just getting worse. Martha tells Ingrid she doesn't want to die of cancer, writhing in agony and pain, and asks for her help - she wants to go out on her own terms, but she can't be alone. While Ingrid doesn't have to assist, she needs to be there when it happens. She promises Ingrid that the police won't know what happened, and begs her for her help, to which Ingrid finally, reluctantly agrees. As the day approaches, both women reconnect and show their true feelings, fears, and doubts, which only strengthens their bond.

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar has a way of directing that accentuates his actors, most notably his female actors, to do something really special with the material given to them. Frequent collaborator Penelope Cruz proves this in films like "Parallel Mothers" and "Volver," and for his first English-speaking film, he does the same with two acclaimed, Oscar-winning actresses. Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton are two of the best actresses of our time, and they give awards-worthy performances here, turning what could've been an overly dramatic film into something touching, poignant, and eerily beautiful.

The movie's main focus is something that touches a lot of lives: is it better to endure a long-lasting disease that'll slowly deteriorate you to the point of death, or is it better to go out on your own terms, and in a sense not allow the disease to win? Martha makes an excellent point when she says, "when you beat cancer, you're labeled a hero, but if you don't, people say you didn't fight hard enough. Cancer can't get me if I get me first," and those words really resonate. Assisted suicide is illegal, but in a sense is it immoral to see a friend or family member slowly suffering to death, or let them go peacefully on their own terms? This is the existential question asked in "The Room Next Door," and the result is a touching, nuanced tale that never exceeds melodramatic tropes.

The movie is essentially a two-woman play, with a few side characters thrown in for good measure, most notably John Turturro, who plays Damian, a former love interest for both women. He's the cynical, anti-government guy that Ingrid turns to in order to possibly protect her from legal issues with what Martha wants her to do, and serves as the pessimistic voice of reason. There's a particular dinner scene between him and Moore that really stands out and showcases both their performances.

Yet as I said, this is a two-woman play, and Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton have never been better. Moore's Ingrid is a woman who fears death, and who may seem like a pushover when it comes to helping Martha, but there's an inner strength in her that shines as she struggles with losing her friend while also learning what it really means to live - and die - on your own terms. She's the character the audience connects with, putting us in her shoes and asking the question as to what we would do in that situation: would we help our ailing friend die, or let nature take its slow, painful course?

Then there's Tilda Swinton, who carries Martha with a steely resolve but also someone who, while ready for death, isn't fully ready to accept it. She maintains a stiff upper lip most of the time, but she flies off the handle in other moments, proving herself as merely a human enduring one of the most difficult times of her life. She has everything planned to a T, but when plans fall through she freaks out, and oftentimes the film meanders between Ingrid and Martha before coming together, proving that both women have more to them than the illness that separates them.

Featuring two outstanding performances and centering on a touching, deep theme, "The Room Next Door" is one of those quiet films that screams its message to your soul, keeping it in your mind long after it ends.

The Score: A+