All About My Mother [Guest Writer] (3 Stars)

All About My Mother is a 1999 Spanish film directed by (yes you've guessed it) Pedro Almodóvar.

The film is about Manuela (Cecilia Roth), a nurse for a Transplant Clinic in Madrid and a single parent to her 17 year old son, Esteban (Eloy Azorin). On Esteban's birthday he is killed by a car as he races to try and get a autograph from Huma Rojo (Marisa Paredes), an actress performing in A Street Car Named Desire, the play Esteban had seen for his birthday. Following the death of Esteban, Manuela returns to Barcelona, in search of Esteban's father, Lola, a transvestite, who Manuela has not seen since fleeing Barcelona after finding out about her pregnancy. Returning to Barcelona, Manuela reconnects with an old friend Agrado (Antonia San Juan), also a transvestite, and meets a nun, Rosa (Penélope Cruz). The production of A Street Car Named Desire, the same one Manuela and Esteban saw on the day he dies, also comes to Barcelona.

This film, I wanted to like it, it seemed to be an original and different script, and I admire that. I like variety and originality; but I don't know. It just lacked meaty substance, everything is all wrapped up lovely with no loose ends and it's all very...safe. I loved the character of Agrado and thought she was quite funny, but her alone couldn't save what was quite a slow film with very little character development throughout. It's worth a watch but you'll struggle to be bowled over by this one.