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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Play trailer Poster for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown R 1988 1h 28m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
When Pepa Marcos' (Carmen Maura) lover Ivan (Fernando Guillén) suddenly leaves her without any explanation, she embarks on a strange journey to discover why. On the way she meets a variety of eccentric characters, including Ivan's son from a previous relationship (Antonio Banderas), his fiancee Marissa (Rossy de Palma) and a Shiite terrorist cell who have been secretly holding her best friend Candela (María Barranco) hostage. It's a film noir take on the romantic comedy.
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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

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Critics Consensus

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown finds writer-director Pedro Almodóvar working in a distinctly feminist vein, with richly rewarding results.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker 09/11/2023
The most original pop writer-director of the eighties, [Almodovar is] Godard with a human face -- a happy face. His new Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, his seventh feature (since 1980), is one of the jauntiest of all war-of-the-sexes comedies. Go to Full Review
Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune 08/31/2006
4/4
A feminist comedy with real bite; it always brings down the house. Go to Full Review
Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness 05/04/2005
An exuberant comedy of manners drunk on its own outlandish melodrama. Go to Full Review
Dave Giannini InSession Film 02/23/2024
I defy you to watch Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown and dare to find a lack of passion, craft, or ability. Almodóvar shows all of these and continues to throughout his entire filmography... Go to Full Review
Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) 05/09/2023
Almodovar keeps the swirling goings-on in clear focus, deepening his material with dreams so powerful they alter the contours of individual personalities. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 10/18/2022
3/4
An infectious confection. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Dennis B Sep 14 Aunque se nota el salto generacional, ha envejecido bastante bien, mucho de los personajes están muy bien escritos, pero el punto mas fuerte, es la personalidad y caracter de los propios actores. Diria que es una trama simple con mucho mimo y pasión por los detalles. See more Olivia T Feb 20 I really enjoyed the setting of this movie, especially the apartment, with the terrace. The many plants, the chickens, the beach ball, the fake grass mats, all of the bright colors give a dreamy and hazy atmosphere that further perpetuates the confusion and detachment that Pepa is stuck in throughout the movie. The characters were wonderfully cast, the plot is melancholic and funny. See more Lucas A 08/14/2024 It's really charming. It narrates wemen chasing after a man who deceives them (story also replicated in his son), ending up turning them against each other. At first glance it seemed a little mundane to me, but it lifts up it's interest with the scenes that occur once people start arriving at the apartment. The man's final rescue scene is very, very bad. However, the last 30 minutes left a sweet taste. See more Jhosep G 01/09/2024 The way the story develops and unfolds itself using so little setting is amazing. And the way everything ends up being related, makes you get pretty immerse in the story. See more Alec B 01/03/2024 I like the way the legacy of Franco's dictatorship is sort of unspoken motivation for each of the older characters. It's still a farce, but one where the stakes feel real. See more Kevin L 09/18/2023 Quite clever, well-paced, and a number of laughs amid the soap satire and farcical melodrama. I didn't recognize Banders until like twenty minutes into the movie. But credit that mostly to the skill of Almodovar and his cast more than his being so young at the time. There's a dated, 'of an era' feel to the film, but I could've also watched years sooner. Still, good fun with the likes of Maura, Serrano, Montesimos (the wacky cabby), Manver, and De Palma. 3.4 stars See more Read all reviews
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

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Movie Info

Synopsis When Pepa Marcos' (Carmen Maura) lover Ivan (Fernando Guillén) suddenly leaves her without any explanation, she embarks on a strange journey to discover why. On the way she meets a variety of eccentric characters, including Ivan's son from a previous relationship (Antonio Banderas), his fiancee Marissa (Rossy de Palma) and a Shiite terrorist cell who have been secretly holding her best friend Candela (María Barranco) hostage. It's a film noir take on the romantic comedy.
Director
Pedro Almodóvar
Producer
Pedro Almodóvar
Distributor
Orion Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
El Deseo S.A.
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 11, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.2M
Runtime
1h 28m
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