"Hable con ella" (Talk to Her) - Emily Stephens

After reading the review for "Broken Embraces," I couldn't resist writing about my personal favorite of Almodovar's films. It's over ten years old, and wasn't widely released state-side, but it's still on Netflix (I checked). "Hable con ella" (Talk to Her) is a powerful exploration of gender, sex, blame, and innocence in the style of Almodovar's other work. I first watched this as part of a class on Hispanic gender issues, and fell in love with the number of questions Almodovar likes to raise - but not answer. By offering his audience this intense study of four intertwined lives with such an open-ended denouement, the director challenges us to form our own conclusions.

Marco is a travel journalist who becomes enthralled with Lydia when he sees a disasterous interview on TV. It soon becomes clear that he is attracted primarily because of the demons in her life.
Lydia is a mess of emotions underneath her masculine exterior. As a torera (matador, bullfighter), she bucks (no pun intended) all expectations of the Spanish woman. Bullfighting is perhaps the most historically masculine profession in Spain's history-hinging heavily on the phallic symbolism of the espadas (swords) and the act of piercing or penetrating the bull.
Benigno (literally 'benign') is a nurse with probable mental retardation. While it is never explicit, Benigno's childlike behavior and inability to relate to women hint at a moderate handicap.
Alicia is the ballerina Benigno cares for. She was hit by a car before the film starts and is now in a vegetative coma. Benigno dotes upon Alicia, soon becoming infatuated and mistaking his obsession for love.

The film opens upon Marco and Benigno both alone at the ballet. Benigno describes the dance in detail to Alicia, believing her able to understand because of her passion for ballet.
Marco later views an interview in which the host attacks Lydia about her romantic past with a fellow torero 'El nino de Valencia.' Intrigued, he talks his boss into letting him interview Lydia himself. When it becomes clear to her, however, that he's interested in her past as well rather than her bullfighting, she refuses. A relationship between the two arises when Marco kills a snake for her. (Phallic symbolism anyone?)
After a decent stint as a couple, Lydia tries to speak with Marco about her emotional state, but runs out of time before her next fight. Her troubles rob her of focus to the point where the bullfight goes awry, and she ends up in a coma. Lydia is transported to the same long-term hospital where Benigno cares for Lydia.
The action rises from this point, but watch in particular for Benigno's off-screen climax influenced by the silent film he watches.

The two 'couples' with similar situations inhabit opposite ends of Almodovar's gender spectrum. The exploration of societal expectations of these four characters is what makes Almodovar the commentator he is. Watch for his use of symbolism and audience expectations to throw a loop into the story.

While Hable con ella is not for the faint-of-heart, it's an intelligent, realistic take on the human condition. My personal favorite of Almodovar's films, I can (and have) watch it time after time and come away with yet another previously-unseen grain of wisdom.