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All About My Mother

R Released Nov 24, 1999 1h 39m Drama Comedy List
98% Tomatometer 97 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
New friends help a woman (Cecilia Roth) struggling to get her life in order after her son's (Eloy Azorín) death.
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All About My Mother

All About My Mother

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Critics Consensus

Almodovar weaves together a magnificent tapestry of femininity with an affectionate wink to classics of theater and cinema in this poignant story of love, loss and compassion.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com It was like the acclaimed Spanish auteur had dug inside my brain and pulled out so many of my fears, dreams, anxieties, and aspirations and splashed them there for the entire world to take a nakedly raw look at. Rated: 4/4 Jun 3, 2024 Full Review David Ansen Newsweek This is humanism in drag: Almodovar's passionate redefinition of family values. Mar 6, 2018 Full Review TIME Magazine It brims with life. Aug 12, 2008 Full Review Tamma Moksha The Hindu Through the fables of the women at the margins, Almodóvar snatches the conventional idea of motherhood and maternity and twists it to suit his characters and their needs. Jun 10, 2024 Full Review Brian Susbielles InSession Film Everyone wears their heart on their sleeve and make them sympathetic whatever the circumstances, bringing the wit and heavy emotion that Almodovar always has in every film he has done. Mar 3, 2023 Full Review Bryan Petroff Out Magazine Not only is this the Spanish director's most sophisticated film to date, it's a watershed moment in his career and one of the best movies of the year. May 27, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Veronica H. S A movie that is a painting, a poem, and a beautiful musical creation all in one, touching every string of the soul . Almodovar's most beautiful creation Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/20/24 Full Review Jonathan M One of my all-time favorite films. Would love to program an Almodovar retrospective soon! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Alejandra M Hermosa y conmovedora Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/25/23 Full Review Matthew B All About My Mother represented another stage in the development of Pedro Almodovar as a film director. His early films are marked by a more outrageously camp style. The humour is over-the top, the morality perverse, and the style kitsch. However over time, Almodovar's style began to mature from his independent beginnings, and his films began to deal with more serious matter. All About My Mother was certainly not the first of Almodovar's films to explore this new seriousness, but it was the best movie that he had made up until that point. He may have subsequently exceeded it with Talk to Her and Volver. Many of the trappings of the typical Almodovar film are here. The colours are bright and vibrant. The décor is gaudier than the kind that you see in most people's houses. The style is theatrical, with traditional Spanish songs, old movies and scenes from plays thrown in, complete with stage curtains descending at the beginning and end of the movie. The film is populated by typical Almodovar characters – fighting lesbians, a pregnant nun with HIV, and a few transgender prostitutes. However these comfortingly familiar Almodovar touches are only little camp frills here. The story could have been told more plainly without any of them, although if it had been, then it would not have been an Almodovar movie. These elements are inseparable from Almodovar's style, but the film has serious and universal themes too. It deals with the pain of loss, and confrontation with one's own past. What follows is a sad tale that its ironies, catty witticisms and startling dialogue cannot detract from. If you would like to read more of my views on All About My Mother, I wrote a blog (possibly containing spoilers), which can be found at: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2018/05/18/all-about-my-mother-1999/ Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/31/23 Full Review Massoud H The best movie ever made. Ever. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/30/22 Full Review isla s This film has quite a laidback feel to it, with slow jazz type music playing in the background at times. Its an interesting, thoughtful perhaps watch. There are numerous sex references present, so unsurprisingly it isn't an ideal watch if your watching with your parents or similar but that's to be expected. It features a good cast (including Cecilia Roth and Penelope Cruz) and I liked the cinematography, showing the seedier sides of Barcelona. The plot intrigued me - its certainly a good bit of social commentary, Given the plot, it may have been, if only somewhat, controversial when it came out in the late 1990s and I respect that its a well liked and regarded films. As ever with Almodovar's films, bright colours plays a big part in this. I liked and respected that the women looked out for each other. I suppose it has the feel of a play about it - indeed a play is part of the storyline but the whole film could be a theatrical production, I feel. I thought it was at times poignant and also somewhat amusing, due to the sharp dialogue. I certainly enjoyed watching it, so yes, I'd recommend it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis New friends help a woman (Cecilia Roth) struggling to get her life in order after her son's (Eloy Azorín) death.
Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Producer
Agustín Almodóvar
Screenwriter
Pedro Almodóvar
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Via Digital, El Deseo S.A.
Rating
R (Sexuality|Language|Some Drug Content|Strong Sexual Dialogue)
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Original Language
European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 24, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.3M
Runtime
1h 39m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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