Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) travels with her daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo) and her sister Sole (Lola Dueñas) from Madrid to the remote and mysterious village of Alcanfor de las Infantas to visit the grave of their mother Irene, who died years ago in a fire with her husband. After a visit to her senile aunt's house, Raimunda is met with a shocking revelation: her mother Irene is alive and well. The series of events worsens (or gets more interesting, depending on your perspective) when they arrive home, and Paula tells her mother that she killed her deadbeat father Paco after he drunkenly attempted to rape her. While Raimunda hides his body, Sole calls her to tell that their beloved aunt Paula has died. Sole travels alone to the funeral, and when she returns to Madrid, she finds her mother hidden in the trunk of her car. She brings Irene to her apartment, and secrets from everyone's lives are disclosed.
Few filmmakers work better with women than Almodóvar, and he gets beautifully layered performances from every single one in this film. Cruz, who brings the wild animal-esque motherly instinct, is a revelation. It’s easy to see why many critics have taken to comparing Cruz to the equally exotic Sophia Loren in her heyday. Her Raimunda, sometimes fiery, sometimes vulnerable, and always fiercely protective of her daughter, is probably her richest piece of work to date.
Few filmmakers work better with women than Almodóvar, and he gets beautifully layered performances from every single one in this film. Cruz, who brings the wild animal-esque motherly instinct, is a revelation. It’s easy to see why many critics have taken to comparing Cruz to the equally exotic Sophia Loren in her heyday. Her Raimunda, sometimes fiery, sometimes vulnerable, and always fiercely protective of her daughter, is probably her richest piece of work to date.