Full of sensuality that creeps under the skin, Almodovar's film centers round two tragic women and the men who love them. Benigno and Marco first meet at a theater where they still don't know each other. Afterwards, series of events put them together in a private clinic and they form a friendship, around the 2 women in coma they are taking care of. Despite having a nonlinear structure, the screenplay still follows certain rules. This film is an interesting example to study, because it's one of the few foreign films to win an Oscar for a best screenplay. After braking it down, it becomes easier to understand how the director has organized the bits and pieces to create a powerful story.
Both Benigno and Marco have the same flaw and disillusion, that they understand women and their problems so well. Benigno has taken care of his mother for 20 years, and after seeing from his window Alicia dancing ballet down the street, he is infatuated. Alicia has a car accident and is left in a coma. It is the perfect opportunity for Benigno,who is a nurse, to take care of her. This is what he believes he is very good at.
After seeing an interview with the attractive bullfighter Lydia, the journalist Marco is driven by the same passion to help her. He believes she is desperate, and he is the only one who can help. Marco and Lydia start a relationship but 4 months later she is deadly injured in a corrida. Tragically, she is left in a coma too in the same hospital where Alicia is. So far, the characters' flaws are gradually built. Their goal is to save these women, take care of them. But both characters have different circumstances which gives chance to the storyteller to change the goal. Lydia's ex boyfriend arrives at the hospital and takes his place. Marco realizes he can not help her and has to leave. Essentially, it is suggested that these women simply do not want to be saved by these 2 particular men.
Benigno, however, needs protection and guidance too, so the goal subconsciously shifts from one subject to another. Ostensibly Marco has lost the battle, has partly realized his flaw and is ready to leave. Benigno is established as the opposite of Marco- he is stubborn and even more blind to reality. Therefore, by making Benigno reach the darkest low, the storyteller can keep Marco's goal and desire active to save the desperate one. Benigno is the most developed character in terms of obvious flaws. It is logical he might not be able to overcome them, and his character is taken out.
Lydia doesn't survive the coma, but Alicia does. Benigno has caused a crime to her, which happens to be her saving element. After Benigno is gone, Marco has a chance encounter with Alicia. The viewer already knows it's natural to Marco to help Alicia, save her. Because after all, things are not simple. In my view, Almodovar is really good at creating colorful and eccentric characters and interweaving their lives in all directions. As in his other films, sexuality and desire has a central place in the story. I'm very pleased with Broken Embraces and La mala educacion so far. Volver doesn't do the magic for me. However, this director opened my senses for vivid transsexual characters, which makes him one of my favorite directors.
P.S- I've been writing this blog listening to the soundtrack of Habla con ella- absolutely obsessing spanish guitar!
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