Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de "Nervios"
1988 / 88m - Spain
Comedy
3.5*/5.0*
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown poster

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May 29, 2021

3.5*/5.0*

By far the best Almodóvar film I've seen so far, maybe not too surprising when it's also the most outright comical one I've watched. I didn't even realize Almodóvar had this in him. It's a pretty farcical affair, with a cast of colorful characters and outrageous situations, but not without some original moments.

When Pepa is dumped over the phone by her lover, she wants to catch him before he leaves on vacation with another woman. But Pepa isn't the only one looking for Ivan, as his ex-wife is finally allowed to leave the psychiatric hospital. Meanwhile, Pepa's best friend is having some troubles of her own when her ex-lover turns out to be a wanted terrorist.

The colorful cinematography, the remarkable camera work and the eccentric cast of characters makes this a very enjoyable comedy. The relatively short runtime and the constant surprises keep things interesting, the only thing holding the film back a little is the comical timing, which isn't always on point. Other than that, a neat surprise.