Film Review: PARALLEL MOTHERS (2021): Pedro Almodovar’s Brilliant Film Features Penelope Cruz At Her Best

Parallel Mothers Review

Parallel Mothers (2021) Film Review, a movie directed by Pedro Almodovar and starring Penelope Cruz, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Rossy de Palma, Milena Smit, Daniela Santiago, Ainhoa Santamaria, Israel Elejalde, Julieta Serrano, Pedro Casablanc, Adelfa Calvo, Chema Adeva, Julio Manrique and Inma Ochoa.

Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In) has crafted another intensely fascinating character study with his latest offering, Parallel Mothers. This new film poses some deep philosophical questions and is a showcase for the incredibly versatile Penelope Cruz’s tremendous acting talents. Cruz has delivered some unique performances throughout the years but this one is her most nuanced film role to date and she, quite simply, displays a master class on acting with her outstanding work in this thought-provoking film.

Cruz plays Janis, a 40-ish photographer who, as the film’s main story begins, accidentally becomes pregnant by the man she is seeing. Due to her age, she decides to move forward with the pregnancy. Janis is involved with a married forensic anthropologist named Arturo (Israel Elejalde) who would rather she not have the baby. Janis is seeking Arturo’s help to dig up the remains of her family for personal reasons which involve her ancestors’ involvement with the Spanish Civil War.

Enter the much younger Ana (Milena Smit) who is also pregnant and is Janis’ roommate in the hospital where they are both awaiting giving birth to their babies. These two women become friends and exchange numbers. Ana doesn’t seem as excited as Janis at the prospect of being a mother but they form a bond which will develop as the film progresses. Ana’s mother Teresa (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon in a terrific performance) is an aspiring actress who gets a part in a production which will separate her from Ana and this creates tension in their mother-daughter relationship which is expertly conveyed on screen under Almodovar’s accomplished direction.

When the babies are born, Janis embraces motherhood. Arturo, though married, comes to see his new daughter and realizes the baby doesn’t look like him. Janis says she hasn’t slept with anyone else and becomes angry with his demands for a paternity test. Janis and Arturo split up but Janis realizes there is some truth in the assertion that the baby has different features than both she and Arturo possess. Janis does some research into the true parentage of her baby and discovers some revelations which become very startling and complicated in nature.

Things become even more complex when Janis reunites with Ana and realizes Ana’s little daughter, Anita, has died. Ana has changed her hair color and is working as a waitress but goes to work for Janis who returns to her job as a photographer. The film then shifts focus to the relationship between Ana and Janis which becomes very intriguing to watch with the connection between the two women conveyed with dramatic intensity.

Almodovar has skillfully and masterfully put together a tale that could have become a soap opera in lesser hands. Here, the events are always remarkably portrayed with realism and depth. This is not a simple story and it is perfectly layered and detailed in the way the character development occurs throughout the film.

Cruz is in top form. She plays a woman challenged by thoughts of her real child as well as the child she has come to know as her daughter. Cruz captures her character’s heartbreak, pains and passions exquisitely. Smit shines beside her in a role that comes to life with vivid precision and accuracy.

The scenes where Cruz’ Janis returns to work even though what she is doing is beneath her qualifications ring true. Smit’s Ana’s affections for Janis also are believable because Janis represents the stability Ana struggles to find in her own life. Sanchez-Gijon is simply superb as the mother trying to realize her ambitions to succeed in life at the cost of her relationship with her daughter Ana. Elejalde also adds another well acted performance to the film as the man who is prevalent in Janis’s life, for better or worse.

The family aspect of the movie is haunting. The concluding scene of this picture is heart-wrenching as it illustrates the strong bond families possess through their biological connections. This movie also shows the way a new family can be created in fascinating ways. It’s the way we all interconnect that is the most interesting theme in Almodovar’s masterful film.

Occasionally, the film can portray heavier themes than the audience can adequately chew with its constant revelations but that is also similar to the way real life can play out. Almodovar is a master filmmaker and his ability to get the best from Cruz every time they work together is a testament to the strength of their working relationship.

Parallel Mothers will haunt you long after the ending credits roll. It’s a film that shows us how life can take us on an unpredictable journey which challenges us immensely as human beings. All of the characters here are well-written, flawed people whose humanity makes the film all the more realistic. It’s among Almodovar’s best films.

Rating: 9/10

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