Pedro Almodovar is an Oscar, BAFTA, and Emmy-winning director who also writes his own films. He started his film career in Madrid in the early 1970s. After the National School of Cinema in Madrid closed, Almodóvar became self-taught. His earliest work was done with a Super 8 camera; these shorts had no sound, so he would do the voices himself. In 1978 he made his first feature film, Follow... follow... follow Tim! but his breakthrough movie didn't come until 10 years later in 1988 when it came out Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
The world of Almodóvar's films is isolated but recognisable. He regularly incorporates Catholicism, sexuality and motherhood into the themes and motifs of his films. However, the repetition of these concepts doesn't lead to tired filmmaking - it just makes his signature style recognizable as he explores these ideas in a fresh way. Certain actors often appear regularly in his films, for example Chus Lampreave, Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz have all played leading roles in various Almodóvar projects. Here are 10 quintessential Pedro Almodóvar movies that are a must-see for all movie buffs.
10 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown is essential for film buffs interested in Almodóvar's work. As his escape movie, it's a great example of him at his best, and it showcases what makes his movies popular. Starring Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas and Julieta Serrano, the story follows Maura's character as she searches for her lover so he can explain why he left her. The movie is based on The human voice, a play by Jean Cocteau, and earned an Oscar nomination for Best International Picture. The plot skillfully connects all the worlds of the characters in a satisfying way, and this intricate plot is characteristic of Almodóvar's unique style.
9 Volver (2006)
Volver earned Penélope Cruz an Oscar nomination for her performance here as Raimunda. Her mother is played by Carmen Maura, who died in a fire long before the opening of the film. The story follows their family, as Maura's character appears to have returned from the dead to resolve unresolved issues and tensions between herself and her children. Volver is both visually impressive and deeply emotionally resonant. There's also enough humor to complement the dark story, but the two opposing components never overpower each other. It is one of Almodóvar's best works with Cruz's performance being an incredible standout feature.
8 Talk to Her (2002)
One of Almodóvar's most acclaimed films, Talk to her follows two men who meet by chance and care for two women in a coma. The film's elliptical narration allows the story to follow each of these characters through different time periods in the past, present, and future. The central four characters are played by Rosario Flores, Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti and Leonor Watling. Talk to her is more subdued than many of Almodóvar's films, favoring mystery over theatricality. Interestingly, this simpler script earned Almodóvar his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, as it's not his typical style.
7 Julia (2016)
from Almodovar Juliet is a complex and suspenseful story about a mother who is estranged from her daughter, Antía. The film is based on a series of short stories by Alice Munro, which Almodóvar herself filmed. Emma Suárez and Adriana Ugarte play Julieta in the present and past, respectively. When Julieta runs into Antía's childhood best friend, she discovers that Antía is married with children and living in Switzerland. Receiving this news after 12 years of absence sets Julieta on a path of memories and depression. Mother-daughter stories have been depicted on screen countless times, but Almodóvar manages to avoid clichés here and instead finds an emotionally resonant arc for these women.
6 The Skin I Live In (2011)
The skin I live in is a thriller more psychologically twisted than many of Almodóvar's films. The main character, Ledgard, is played by Antonio Banderas, and he is a talented plastic surgeon who holds a woman hostage to experiment on her. Ledgard's wife suffered severe burns before she died, and he is now on a mission to create a second skin that is immune to damage so that he can heal the wounds from his past. As the movie unfolds, the plot gets more exciting with each reveal. This is perhaps Almodóvar's most intricate plot, but this makes it entertaining in a different way than his usual films. If you are a cinephile and want to understand Almodóvar's work, don't go The skin I live in from your watchlist.
5 Tie me Up! Tie me Up! (1989)
In a strange and campy turn, Tie me Up! Tie me Up! is Almodóvar at his most subversive. The plot follows Ricky (Banderas) who, after being released from a mental hospital, decides to kidnap an actress and former sex worker (Victoria Abril) and convince her to marry him. It is clear that Almodóvar is going for shock value here, something that has been peppered throughout his career. While the story is clearly not ethical, the movie doesn't take itself too seriously and clearly doesn't endorse these events as a good idea. Almodóvar's career wouldn't be where it is today without these episodes of shock and camp, and they are necessary to examine when we put his work into context.
4 Parallel Mothers (2021)
Almodóvar's most recent production is Parallel Mothers. It finds Cruz and Milena Smit, like Janis and Ana, giving birth in the same hospital room on the same day. This shared moment creates an unlikely bond between the two despite their age difference and attitude to motherhood. In addition to the stories of these two mothers, the film also deals with the impact of Franco's rule over Spain all these years later. These two sides don't line up perfectly, but Almodóvar's action in tackling the Spanish Civil War is interesting, as he hadn't spoken about it so far in his career. It makes sense that he would continue to find new ways to push boundaries as he is a filmmaker who is constantly striving to shock his audience.
3 All About My Mother (1999)
Another of Almodóvar's Oscar-winning films - for Best International Film - is All about my mother. The story here follows a grieving mother whose new friends help her get her life back on track. She in turn also becomes a mother figure to these friends. All about my mother is one of Almodóvar's most stripped down films, his usual style is still present, but the focus here is on real emotion. The sincerity of the feeling given to these characters makes it impossible not to love and care for them, despite the ups and downs of their stories. This movie is a great representation of Almodóvar's more sophisticated end of the movie spectrum, but make no mistake, the campy, melodramatic ending is just as important.
2 Pain and Glory
Pain and Glory finds an aging director reflecting on his past and his relationship with his mother in particular. If a director reflecting on his relationship with his mother sounds familiar at this point, it's because this film draws from Almodóvar's own experiences. He tells Slate that this is the film closest to him, but is not autobiographical: he says, "All the places and all the situations that happen are known to me, but I haven't explicitly experienced them myself." Like it All about my mother, this film is another one of his more down-to-earth stories. It stars Banderas as Almodóvar's replacement in a winning turn, so it's no surprise he was nominated for an Oscar for this impressive performance.
1 Bad education
In Bad education, Almodóvar tackles the abuse of children in Franco-era religious schools. The story revolves around two friends and their head teacher, who meet a few times over several decades. Almodóvar manages to include a number of subplots that span different experiences without confusing the film's arc. While this is another personal film, he has put enough distance between himself and the events of his childhood to create a more unbiased film. He tells The Guardian: 'I'm not that furious about that thing [sexual abuse]as he would have been 20 years ago. This allows Almodóvar to take a more neutral position as a filmmaker rather than having to take some kind of narrative revenge. Bad education is a shining example of Almodóvar's ability to make a film that is playful yet appropriately emotional and serious.
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