Two estranged friends, both writers, are reunited: one has just released her latest novel to critical acclaim; the other has cancer and is on the brink of death. After rekindling their friendship, Ingrid (Julianne Moore) is left with a choice: does she fulfil her friend, Martha’s (Tilda Swinton), wish, to be in “the room next door” to her when she takes her own life, or leave her to die in agony and alone in a hospital bed?
Described as “extravagant and engrossing”, Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, The Room Next Door (2024) faces death head-on, candidly exploring the theme of assisted suicide from several angles. Almodóvar (as you can read in my previous article) is not afraid to tackle taboo topics. From sex work to plastic surgery, transgender rights to drug legalisation, the auteur has covered much ground, weighing in on some of the most controversial and pressing issues of our times.
However, despite being about euthanasia, The Room Next Door is far from a tragedy. Both Ingrid and Martha share jokes, reminisce about their youth living in New York City and share tales of past lovers. Despite its melancholy subject matter, the film does a lot to show how life, despite Martha’s fervent desire to leave it behind, is still a beautiful and remarkable thing.
Despite its melancholy subject matter, the film does a lot to show how life, despite Martha’s fervent desire to leave it behind, is still a beautiful and remarkable thing.
For instance, the gorgeous sets in the film, perhaps more so than in any of Almodóvar’s previous features, encapsulate this sense of enchantment one experiences upon entering a thoughtfully curated space. The house, in which the titular “room” is located, is light and airy, with hints of modernity yet still firmly embedded within nature. This space acts as a place of comfort where our protagonists, clad in bright sweaters, as cosy as they are chic, feel at peace. One could say this house is the final destination of their friendship, the endpoint of years of fun shared.
Even so, The Room Next Door still possesses a certain ominous quality, compelling the viewer to lean forward in their seat. Will or won’t Martha take her own life? And, if she does, what are the consequences for those she leaves behind?
